


Flor D'Luna

by caleyedoscope



Series: Claire de Lune [7]
Category: DBSK | Tohoshinki | TVfXQ | TVXQ, SHINee, SMTown
Genre: Alternate Universe - Werewolf, F/M, M/M, Werewolves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-16
Updated: 2015-03-16
Packaged: 2018-03-18 05:29:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 20,980
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3557846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/caleyedoscope/pseuds/caleyedoscope
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Following the announcement of werewolves and their existence to the world, the pack is attacked by a group of Fae. Junsu is at the center of it all, confused and uncertain until it’s revealed that he isn’t just a werewolf. He’s something else, something incredibly powerful, and he has to get it under control in order to save the pack and the mate he loves…before the Fae destroy them all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. One

Junsu doesn’t realize he had been falling asleep until the sound of a dish breaking on the tiled floor throws him back into reality, along with a searing jolt of pain through the pack bonds. He hears (and feels) his mate fall off the bed where they’d had been dozing off. “What—“ Changmin starts, shaking his head to clear it. 

There’s a distinct, animalistic howl from downstairs and Changmin’s on his feet in a second, with Junsu hot on his heels, arms getting caught in the soft sweater he tries to pull over his head. _Jinki_ , they both think at the same time, just as the agony in the pack bonds zeroes in on Yoona. 

Something is terribly wrong with Yoona.

A plate of leftovers someone had just warmed is littering the floor with pieces of painted ceramic and the second shifts his foot back to leap out of the kitchen just as Junsu skids to a halt. Their Alpha arrives in time to block him.

“What is it?” Junsu asks, not attune enough to the pack connections to exactly figure it out. 

_I’m gonna shift_ , Changmin says into their bond, and Junsu hands over what mental strength he can so as to ease as much of Changmin’s pain during the process.

“Yoona,” Jinki whines, half angry half desperate, straining against Yunho’s arms, “Yoona’s hurt! Let me go!”

Yoona had gone to the movies with Boa and Yoochun, a third wheel on their date because she’d been bored while waiting for Jinki to get home. He’d finally cut down on his hours as an EMT and started taking more classes to work towards a full PhD. Getting married and wanting to be able to comfortably support Yoona without the pack’s help had finally swayed him in that decision.

Junsu uses a little of Changmin’s power to zero in on Yoona in the pack bonds, getting an indistinct feeling of pain. But Changmin’s only third and can’t quite pick up the subtleties of the bonds like their Alpha. He turns to Jaejoong, “Where are they?”

“Driving,” is Jaejoong’s answer, “on their way back here.” His face darkens, “and something is chasing them.”

Jinki’s growling is now constant and bordering on feral. There’s no use in telling him to calm down, but he seems content to wait. Though perhaps that’s only due to the iron grip Yunho has on his second’s shoulder.

“Junsu, check on Sulli,” Yunho orders.

With gentle assurance from his nearly changed mate, Junsu bolts upstairs to where Sulli is cuddling with one of her little wolf pups, the turmoil in the pack making him rip a pillow into tiny pieces. She and Minho had named him Jino, and more often than not, he is in his wolf form. As a pup, he still cannot control his transformations, and since he’d been born into being a werewolf and not turned into one, changing doesn’t hurt him at all. Constantly going back and forth, however, causes him to grow very fast; already Jino is half Minho’s height and Junsu swears he shoots up a couple centimeters every day.

The other pup, Junsu senses, is under the bed and a quick glance confirms this. He’s in wolf form, his tail and hind legs sticking out from underneath the bed skirt.

“Is everything okay?” Sulli asks, as soon as Junsu takes a breath to speak.

“Yoona’s hurt, but she’ll be okay, I think. Stay upstairs and don’t come out until I tell you it’s safe.” He doesn’t need to use any of Changmin’s power to make the order stick; she’ll listen, if only because of her pups.

“Minho wants to know if he should come home.”

Junsu shakes his head, “We’ll be fine.”

Downstairs, there’s a particularly loud snarl and Junsu turns around sharply, hurrying back down the stairs and coming to a halt in front of Jinki. It’s _Junsu’s_ job to keep this pack calm and he takes it seriously, especially when someone is in danger. “Jinki. Jinki, breathe.”

The second’s eyes are nearly white with rage, and Junsu can’t imagine it. If it was Changmin hurt he doesn’t even know what he’d do. “Jinki, listen to me. You are the only medical professional in this house. When your mate gets back you have to tend to her. If you don’t want your mate to die you have to calm down.”

The white fades a bit from Jinki’s eyes, “It-it hurt her. I want to rip it apart.” Whatever “it” is, Junsu thinks. It could be any manner of creature, human to supernatural, especially since the North American wolves had revealed themselves to the general human population. Not all the pack is known to South Korea, but as a courtesy, Yunho had made public the more dominant of his wolves, mostly for the pack’s safety. They hadn’t had too much trouble since then, a few vandals, some punks trying to beat up Jinki a few weeks ago (and failing, needless to say,) so overall nothing seriously terrible. Until now. 

Through their bond, Changmin assures him that it doesn’t matter what it is, it is _dead_ either way. He’s already outside, teeth bared towards the end of the driveway as he waits for the first sign of trouble.

Junsu cups Jinki’s cheek, smiling as he feels his Alpha’s approval flood into the pack bonds, “I know. But you can’t because if she’s hurt really bad then you’re the only one that can help her. Yunho and Changmin will take care of whatever is out there.”

The second’s eyes maintain their golden hue, but after another moment of struggle he’s much more calm and Yunho releases his hold. “I’ll need you to stay next to me,” Jinki admits.

“I’ll help you,” Junsu promises, “where’s your EMT bag?”

“In my truck.”

“I’ll get it,” Junsu tells him.

“Stay here,” Yunho orders both of them, and before Junsu can respond, Jaejoong is slipping past them and out the door. “I don’t think Jinki can remain in control if you leave, Junsu.”

“Probably not,” Jinki admits, face still very pale.

By the time Junsu’s wrapped Jinki up in a tentative hug, his face buried in Junsu’s shoulder, Jaejoong’s back inside with the EMT bag slung over one shoulder. He puts it by Jinki’s feet and rests a hand on Jinki’s waist for added comfort. “She’ll be fine,” Jaejoong promises, and Junsu hopes he’s right.

They hear the car long before they see it, and a moment later get a whiff of what had attacked them. 

“Faeries,” Yunho growls.

Junsu feels sick.

When he’d first been changed, he’d been intrigued when his then-Alpha had mentioned that faeries exist as well, but that intrigue had ended when his entire former pack had been swallowed up by a single faerie. Junsu doesn’t know how he managed to escape, the pain of losing an entire pack simultaneously too great for him to bear. He’d passed out the second it happened and woken up to Eric bending over him. He’d spent several years as a lone wolf after that, performing in plays and musicals until Yunho had found him. He does not think faeries are cool any more.

His bond with Changmin rushes in comfort and he feels Jaejoong’s hands land on his waist to hold him steady. “You okay?”

“So long as you rip them apart,” Junsu says, and there’s no question that he’s talking to anyone but Changmin. 

He uses Jinki as a reason to center himself, even partly blocking his mate in order to not think about the things drawing close and instead keeping the pack’s second inside of the house. Because Jinki is beyond exemplary (both as a person and as a wolf,) he is able to give Junsu comfort, even in his disheveled state. They both give and take and give and take until they’re centered entirely on one another, with no fear of losing control.

“She’s bleeding a lot,” Jinki whispers, “and her arms—she broke an arm in two places.” He starts to talk out loud, listing to himself all the things he’s going to have to do. He and Junsu sink to the ground, and open the EMT bag together, pulling out the things Jinki will need.

“She’s alive,” Junsu reminds him, cupping his cheek, “she’s alive, Jinki.” 

Jaejoong comes back with a blanket and sheets to lay on the floor, covering it with a shower curtain from his and Yunho’s private bathroom. It should theoretically make for easy clean up, but with werewolves it’s hard to be certain. No one’s said if there’s any silver involved, and silver always makes everything messy.

There’s a squeal of tires outside, and Yunho bolts for the door, Jaejoong stripping his clothes to change. Ever since their bond had reforged into something stronger, the time it takes them to change into their wolf forms has lessened considerably. With one human and one wolf, they make a deadly team, and Junsu can say with absolute certainty that he is jealous, if only because changing is so tedious.

The door bangs open and Boa struggles inside with Yoona, holding her up as best she can, not because she’s heavy, but because she’s trying to keep her hands on the parts of her body that are ripped open. Junsu almost throws up, stomach roiling at the smell of silver that washes over them.

As soon as Jinki actually sees Yoona, gets his hands on her, he calms. His entire demeanor changes and Junsu knows he no longer needs to worry about the second’s mental state. His only thoughts now are to save his mate’s life.

Junsu leaves them with Boa and heads outside, heading straight to where his mate is and threading his fingers into Changmin’s fur. “Where is it?”

_Hiding_ , Changmin thinks into his bond, and he growls, teeth bared.

He’s the only one of them that’s changed, but it doesn’t matter. Yunho and Yoochun are extremely dangerous in their human forms as well, faeries or not. Yoochun has a sword in hand, one of iron, and Junsu knows Yoochun’s just as good with it now as he had been hundreds of years ago. He hopes the faeries aren’t particularly strong—he knows despite being werewolves, they wouldn’t have a chance against the very old, very famous faeries. 

They don’t have long to wait.

The driveway blurs, suddenly, and shapes begin to rise out of them, two, three, four, five, Junsu counts ten just as they finish materializing. They look beautiful, but Junsu knows it’s just Glamor, the Fae themselves never willing to show their true form, always hiding. But the smell—Junsu doesn’t think they’re faking that and he recognizes it. He _knows_ it.

_It’s him. He’s here,_ he projects his thoughts as best he can into the pack bonds, using Changmin’s power. His mate and Yunho will at least pick them up. _The one that killed my first pack_. They’re here. They finally came for him. He’d pushed it out of his mind, purposefully not thought of it and forbid anyone from mentioning, hoping they wouldn’t come to finish what they had started. But clearly that had not been the right course of action. He should have found someone to hunt them down.

_I won’t let them take you_ , Changmin says fiercely.

Junsu knows that. He feels violently ill, but he knows he has to stay alert. He’s the only one who’s ever really faced the Fae.

There are rules you have to be careful to follow when dealing with Fae. While it’s true that it is impossible for them to lie, they are very clever with their wording, and can dance circles around the truth. But you can never thank them, if they help you. You can never thank them for anything, because they take that to mean that they are owed a favor. It’s incredibly dangerous to owe a fae a favor, as they could ask you to do anything and you would have to do it. A favor to a Fae is a binding contract.

So Junsu pushes past his pain and listens carefully to be sure none of his pack make that mistake.

“You are not wanted here,” Yunho hisses, “you have caused several of my pack members pain. Leave at once.”

“We’ll leave the girl alone,” one of the fae towards the front agrees, “but for a price.”

“And what would that be?”

The raises his hand and points a finger; it takes Junsu a moment to realize it’s directly towards him. He would have thrown up from the sudden sickness he felt, had Changmin not taken a few steps closer to him, washed their bond full of reassurances and comfort.

“You cannot have any of my pack.”

_JUNSU IS MINE_ , Changmin is screaming in his mind, while he growls and paws the ground, itching to get his teeth into something. _Mine, mine, mine, MINE_. Junsu kisses the tip of Changmin’s ear.

But it’s still not safe. These fae could be capable of absolutely anything, and if Changmin attacked, the whole pack could be dead. They could be eaten, enslaved…and no one knows this better than Junsu.

“We must.”

“You cannot.”

“We _must_.”

“You may not,” Yunho says. He’s angry now, angrier than Junsu’s ever seen him and he can feel Yunho’s power rolling off him, sinking into the ground, the trees, kept steady due to his mate that flies out of the house in his wolf form to stand beside him.

The Fae take an alarmed step back, but still do not leave. _Well,_ Junsu thinks _, if that frightens them they at least can’t be one of the Fae leaders_. Junsu had a suspicion that the Fae who destroyed his former pack were at least as powerful as the Grey Lords, if not the Lords themselves, but looking at them now, he’s glad to find out that he had been wrong.

“Why Yoona?” Junsu finds himself asking, gripping Changmin’s fur tighter, “Why me?”

The lead fae smiles. “She is pretty,” he says, “and you—you are special, little wolf. You are exactly what we need, since the other one of you is too strong to come with us.”

“You can’t have me,” Junsu says, bolstered by Changmin’s growl, while he thinks into their bond, _other one of me? What does he mean?_ His mate only continues to growl.

“We’ll get you,” the fae promises, “it is only a matter of time. For now we’ll leave you be, but this is not over. We will get what we want.”

They begin to shimmer in the sunlight, their forms dissolving into the shadows and finally disappearing, leaving the yard eery and silent. But only for a moment. Changmin bolts out from underneath Junsu’s hand and peers out around the hedges, _still_ growling and it only gets louder when he sees nothing there.

Junsu’s gone numb, barely registering Yunho catching him as he slumps onto the grass, most likely staining his jeans green. Jaejoong’s wolf noses him, whining with worry. 

“Changmin, come!” Yunho orders, and in a second, Changmin is pressing his fur against Junsu’s side, head in his lap as Junsu drapes over him.

He licks Junsu’s cheek, a form of apology and Junsu pats his head. _I understand. You want to kill them. I appreciate it, but they’re gone. You’ll get another chance._

_Can I change? I want to hold you_.

“Of course. I’ll be fine with Yunho.”

He lets Changmin slip into the house and relaxes against his Alpha, closing his eyes and breathing in the smell of him, and petting the head of Yunho’s mate when it’s pushed into his lap. He feels himself calm, just a bit, and he can breathe normally by the time Changmin runs back outside in just his boxers, uncaring of the slightly chilled air. 

“I’ve got you,” he whispers, and Junsu almost smiles when he feels how difficult it is for Changmin to not shove their Alpha away.

“Such a good mate,” Junsu croons, and as Changmin’s arms wrap around him, whatever nervousness is left over fades completely away. “Thank you.”

“You do it for everyone else,” Changmin whispers, and there’s a note of humor in his voice when he adds, “someone has to do it for you.”

His cheeks are cupped, Changmin drawing away enough to be able to look Junsu in the eyes. His mate’s are rimmed gold, his voice nearly inhuman as he says firmly, “MINE,” and the sound of it sinks into Junsu’s very bones and leaves an invisible tattoo.

“I know. Can we go inside? This is nice, but I would rather cuddle on a bed.”

He doesn’t fuss when Changmin carries him, curling easily into his mate’s arms and knowing it will calm both of their wolves. Yunho goes ahead of them, glaring at anyone that looks like they have a question, and guides them into his and Jaejoong’s room. Junsu can feel Changmin’s slight irritation at this ( _it’s because he doesn’t want us to lock him out_ ,) and so he kisses the skin of Changmin’s shoulder to calm him down. If he were alpha, Junsu would have done the same thing.

“You have until Jaejoong is done changing, then we have to talk.”

Junsu nods, even as Changmin lays him down on the bed and Junsu curls into him, head still against his shoulder, ever thankful for the warmth of his skin, the smell of it, the sound of Changmin breathing next to his ear. It’s familiar, gentle. 

“You can remember,” Changmin murmurs, “it’s okay. I’m right here.”

“I don’t want to remember. I never wanted to see that—that _thing_ again.”

“We’ll get it. I will rip it apart with my own teeth, I swear, Junsu.”

He doesn’t want to think of his old pack, not now. Too many emotions, too many bad memories of his life afterwards and the things he’d had to do in order to survive. He doesn’t realize he’s started to cry until Changmin’s wiping at his cheeks and suddenly the bed seems so big. Everything seems too large and Junsu feels so, so small.

“Don’t be offended, but I want Yoochun.”

It isn’t that Changmin isn’t enough—but Junsu wants to be surrounded, needs his _new_ pack to be here with him, to reassure his frantic wolf that they are all alive and well. Lips press to Junsu’s head and a minute later, Yoochun saunters into the room, grin wide across his face.

“Does this mean more kisses?" 

“Shut up and get on the bed.”

Junsu kisses him anyway, uncaring of Changmin’s fingers digging into his waist because he can feel that his mate doesn’t really mind. “Beautiful submissive wolf,” Yoochun whispers, cuddling up to Junsu’s other side, “we’re here. You’re pack is right here. You’ve helped us through so much, kept us together, kept us from killing each other. Now it’s our turn to protect you.”

“Again,” Junsu mutters, thinking of a certain vampire.

“As many times as it takes,” Yoochun promises, “forever.”

Junsu feels better with the two of them, is able to push away the memories with more ease and cements himself in the smell of his mate and his friend and the feel of their bodies pressing against him, keeping his warm. Safe.

Five minutes later, Yunho and Jaejoong walk hand in hand through the doorway, Yunho locking the door behind him. 

“How’s Yoona?”

“Stable for the moment. Jinki’s on the phone with Siwon and following life-saving directions. It was a bit too much for him to handle on his own.”

“God bless Siwon,” Yoochun says, “Werewolf doctor extraordinaire.”

“Indeed,” Yunho agrees.

The bed dips, and then Jaejoong sprawls over both Junsu and Changmin in order to align his face to Junsu’s and kiss him full on the mouth. “I love you,” he says, not even flinching when Yunho smacks his ass in irritation.

“Why does everyone always want to kiss my mate?”

“Why _wouldn’t_ anyone want to kiss Junsu?” Yoochun asks, and Junsu finally laughs when he finds that Changmin can’t think of a proper comeback. His mate tugs impatiently, and Junsu flops back around, dislodging Jaejoong in order to bury his face in Changmin’s chest. With their Alpha here, it’s easy to pretend that nothing’s wrong. But Junsu is well aware that they can’t do that forever.

“They won’t stop,” he says, “not until they get me.”

“They aren’t getting you,” Changmin growls.

“I know,” Junsu whispers, “I know that, Changmin. But we have to— _they aren’t going to stop_.”

“We need a plan,” Yunho says. He’s sitting on the bed, though his leg is hanging off of it, Jaejoong’s head in his lap. “We need to figure out why they want Junsu and until we do that, we need someone that can keep us safe from their magic. I’m proud of this pack, and we’re all very strong wolves, but I am not going to chance people’s lives by assuming that we can take them down.”

For a moment, Junsu wonders if Yunho actually has someone in mind, but then he thinks of the answer as soon as Changmin voices it. “You’re going to call Victoria.”

“If anyone can figure out a way to keep them at bay, it’s her.”

Through their bond, Junsu can feel that his mate is less than pleased with this idea, still a little sore over the trauma she’d caused their pack. But Yunho and Jaejoong have both forgiven her, and Junsu nudges his mate’s mind gently, reminding him of this. 

“Also, Eric has some fae he is in friendly contact with so I’ll see if he can ask them if they’ve heard anything.”

“Good old Eric the Marrok,” Yoochun hums, and the rhyme would have been funny some other time, but not today. 

“I wish I didn’t know him as well as I do,” Yunho huffs, and that does make Junsu laugh, strangely enough. 

“Tea?” Jaejoong offers, “I’ll make you a whole pot.”

“You’re the best,” Junsu says, and kisses Changmin’s cheek to mollify him.

 

—

 

The tea helps Junsu a lot, the warmth of the cup stealing into his fingers and he drinks the whole thing, still wrapped up in Changmin and Yoochun’s arms. Yunho is on the phone, Jaejoong providing moral support, and so Junsu decides he wants to see Yoona.

She’s deathly pale, laying perfectly still in the bed, Jinki sitting next to her, his hand in hers. The sheets by the door are drenched in blood, Jinki’s EMT bag next to it, open with instruments and medical implements spilling out of it. It’s a total mess, but she’s alive and that’s what matters.

She smiles when she sees Junsu lingering by the door, and he takes it as his cue to walk inside, settling down easy on her other side, bending down to kiss her forehead. “Hi, princess.”

“She’s not allowed to talk,” Jinki murmurs, “but she says hi back.”

Junsu brushes away her bangs. “Has Yunho come in to talk to either of you yet?”

“Victoria’s coming to save us,” Jinki answers, “we know. How are you holding up?”

Not so great, if Junsu’s being honest with himself. “Everyone’s helping me,” he says instead, “the fae are...horrible,” he decides on saying. “Absolutely awful, and I wish I knew why they wanted me so bad. I’m angry and upset at them--but Changmin promises he’ll rip their throats out for me, so there’s that, at least.”

“Good,” Jinki says, and Junsu’s smile becomes a little bit brighter as Yoona squeezes his hand in solidarity.

“Get some rest,” Junsu murmurs, patting her cheek. “We need our energetic Yoona back. Me, especially. I don’t know how I’ll be able to—well.”

“She will,” Jinki promises. “Hey, Junsu. No, don’t cry.”

It’s as though he can’t help his tears anymore, they just come unbidden, and he tries not be selfish as he lets Jinki pull him into a hug. “We love our beautiful, submissive wolf. You’re never a burden, ever.”

“But I’m a wreck.”

“Everyone is a wreck. We’re all just one big mess of emotion, it’s okay.”

They stay like that until Changmin comes, lifting his mate easily and carrying him back into Jaejoong’s room. Their alpha is no where to be seen, but Changmin makes straight for their jacuzzi, helping Junsu undress and sliding them both into the water. Between that and the feel of Changmin’s skin against his, Junsu finally calms down.

“No one’s blaming you for this,” Changmin whispers, “not one person in the pack, and we never will. It’ll be okay. Look at all the crap that’s happened to this pack. We’ll get through it.” 

Junsu snorts out a choked laugh. “So much crap.”

“Piles,” Changmin agrees. “We got through that and we’ll get through this. If I have to tell you again, I’ll be very upset. Please trust me.”

“I do trust you.” _However, trust doesn’t always keep people safe._ He knows Changmin gets wind of that thought because his side is pinched, though Changmin also understands. 

They sit awhile more, each with their own thoughts, hands linked, taking comfort from one another until they hear Sulli getting her cubs ready for bed. They know from experience the slightest sounds will keep them awake, and the jacuzzi is loud to a werewolf’s ears. So they dry off as it drains, Changmin pampering Junsu to the point of rubbing lotion on his feet and kissing his mate’s knee to get a smile out of him. 

“Jaejoong said we can sleep in their bed. They’re waiting for Victoria and Zhou Mi to get here.”

“They’re driving themselves up?”

“Kyuhyun’s driving them.” 

Usually, Zhou Mi and Victoria don’t leave their pack’s territory, too many people interested in stealing a talented _wu_ like Victoria away. Junsu is glad to hear they’ll have some extra protection.

“Seohyun’s coming with them, too, so she’ll be able to look at Yoona.”

“Good. I miss her.”

“Me too.”

Jaejoong and Yunho’s bed smells divine, the sheets clean and incredibly soft. Someone must have changed them while they were in the jacuzzi because Changmin knows after what he’d accidentally overhead last night, the sheets would have been _rather_ soiled.

They sleep for several hours, Changmin holding Junsu close, his mate’s head over his heart and letting it’s steady beat serve as a lullaby. There is nothing that calms Junsu more than the thought of his mate alive and next to him. Neither of them dream, or go into their sanctuaries, far too exhausted for that, and they wake to Jaejoong shaking Changmin’s shoulder gently. It’s still dark out, a glance at the clock telling him it’s four in the morning.

“They’re here. Come downstairs.”

Junsu would have liked to sleep longer, but he smells coffee from Yoochun’s shop downstairs along with muffins being warmed, and after stealing Changmin’s sweatshirt, feels ready to face the day. He doubts he’ll be going back to sleep after this. _Definitely not_ , Changmin agrees, and they’re hand in hand as they make their way downstairs.

As soon as they’re in the kitchen, Seohyun pounces, and Junsu laughs, holding her close and taking a deep breath of her scent, so happy that’s she happy. Finally. “Hi, beautiful. I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you,” Seohyun returns, “Kyuhyun’s great but sometimes—“

“Hey,” her mate growls, but he’s smiling, able to feel how pleased she is to be back with her old pack.

“Coffee?” Jaejoong’s asking him, “tea?”

“Coffee,” Junsu says, still holding tightly to Seohyun, “I’ll save my tea for later.”

“Victoria’s in the living room. We’ll talk in a minute.”

He kisses Seohyun on the cheek, well aware she wants to go check Yoona right away (and even if she doesn’t, she has no interest in speaking with Victoria about Fae,) and smiles as Kyuhyun trails after her, their hands twining together half way up the stairs. Junsu wishes he had a camera, wanting to keep that image in his mind forever.

“I doubt you’ll forget that any time soon,” Changmin murmurs. “Come on.”

They settle on the couch, Jaejoong following a moment later and handing them steaming cups of coffee made exactly how they like. Their alpha’s mate is positively amazing. “Bless you,” Changmin says, “God bless you.”

Jaejoong glows from the praise, and Junsu’s entire body warms as his Alpha’s thanks at spoiling his mate rolls across the entire room. It’s something Junsu will never tire of feeling and he basks in it until the conversation turns serious. 

“We need you to help us keep the house—safe. And if you can figure out why they want Junsu so badly, we would really appreciate it.”

“What do you mean, figure it out? Don’t you know?”

The room is silent.

“It’s obvious,” Victoria continues, looking at them all as though they are dumb. Her Korean, while grammatically fluent (she’d clearly been studying it hard,) is still very accented. But it’s worlds easier than communicating through Zhou Mi.

“Qian,” Zhou Mi says calmly, “not so blunt.”

“But how could you not know?”

“Know what?” Changmin asks, voice flat. He’s irritated already, his wolf edging closer to the surface of his mind and Junsu lays a hand on his thigh to soothe him.

“Junsu’s special for a lot of reasons,” Victoria starts, “obviously one is that you’re submissive. A very good submissive. The other--“ she cocks her head. “You really don’t know?”

Changmin growls.

“Quiet,” Junsu pokes him.

“I thought you knew. I mean, considering what your pack has been through, it only makes sense. It’s all your fault.”

Junsu blinks. His fault? 

“What are you talking about?” Yunho asks. He doesn’t look happy that Victoria is blaming something--whatever it may be--on Junsu, for whatever reason she seems to think is obvious.

“You really don’t know?”

“Qian,” Zhou Mi warns again, with a gentle touch to her arm, “we talked about this.”

“Junsu,” Victoria says, looking straight at him, “you’re a _wu_. You have magic.”

There’s silence, the pack members quietly digesting this before Changmin explodes, jumping to his feet, eyes nearing white as he stares down his nose at Zhou Mi’s mate. “You _crazy_ woman. How could you even think of saying--“

“Changmin,” Yunho bites out, and Junsu feels the silent order to sit back down blow through the pack bond. Everyone in the room shudders because of it, Changmin himself slamming so fast down into his seat it almost breaks. “Explain,” Yunho orders Victoria.

_She’s wrong_ , Fluffball thinks, _she’s crazy. We are not like her._

_Let’s just see what she has to say_ , Junsu soothes him. He reaches out for Changmin’s hand and links their fingers together, meeting Victoria’s eyes expectantly. He refuses to freak out until he has a half-way decent reason. He is not an _animal_. Well, not completely. Not a mindless one, anyway.

The coffee is long forgotten.

“Why do you think that vampire wanted you?” she asks. “He targeted _you_ , Junsu. Your magic _drew_ him here, however unconsciously, as well as the other vampires that were chasing him. If not for you, he would have past right on by and gone into the next country. How do you think Sulli found her way here? As a rare werewolf herself, she could only ever be drawn towards you. Those Gumihos you faced--they were drawn to your pack because of _you_. They attacked your pack because of you. The fae that attacked your first pack—they did it because they wanted you, a _wu_. A rare werewolf.”

As Victoria speaks, Junsu feels his throat start to close up, his breathing becoming more difficult. This might be going beyond a half-way decent reason. If she’s right, this is a full blown, honest to god reason for panic. His fault. All those things, all the hurt and pain his packs have gone through—because of him?

“And Jaejoong,” Victoria continues, “do you honestly think he could have hidden that he was Yunho’s mate for so long without help?”

“W-what?” Junsu croaks, “but I didn’t--I didn’t do anything. Jaejoong was with the pack before I was.”

“Yes, but he would have cracked long before without you there to give him strength.”

Junsu feels the tears coming, even as he looks at Jaejoong. His fault. The reason Jaejoong kept his secret for so long, was in pain for _so long_ was because of him? Because he’d unconsciously aided him? He remembers Jaejoong opening up to the pack all those years ago, all the pain and anguish threatening to tear his sanity apart and the thought the _he_ caused that, when he’s only ever supposed to bring peace and tranquility and love… “No,” he whispers, “no, no, no.”

“Junsu,” Changmin breathes, “Junsu, focus on me.”

But Junsu can’t. He feels the panic creep up, the horror and pain from losing his last pack stealing into his mind, threatening to pull him back into the blackness of despair that had plagued his mind for so long. “My fault,” he gasps, only half aware of Changmin’s arms coming around him, “my fault, it’s all my fault, I’m such a bad wolf, I need to leave. We need to go, Changmin, we need to--I have to--“

In the background, Junsu hears Yunho ordering Victoria out of the house, Zhou Mi apologizing profusely, but it honestly doesn’t matter. He can feel the rightness of it, somewhere deep in his soul, the words Victoria had spoken ringing true in a part of him left buried and undiscovered. _Everything is my fault_.

“Junsu!” Changmin shrieks, “look at me! Mate!”

_I should die. I refuse to be a_ wu _, I should die_ , Junsu thinks, and he whispers to Changmin’s horrified face, “I should just die.”


	2. Two

Jaejoong has to grab Yunho, arms tight around his torso to keep him from leaping at Victoria in rage. In the background, Changmin is screaming Junsu’s name, and panic is flooding the house as the sleeping wolves wake up one by one, all of them immediately assuming the worst. Jaejoong’s not sure what Junsu’s thinking, or doing, but by the way Changmin is freaking out the worst might actually be possible.

“GET OUT!” Yunho roars, and Jaejoong’s throat hurts like he’s the one that had screamed it, “Get out of my house, now!”

Kyuhyun’s leaping down the stairs, three at a time and he barrels in front of Zhou Mi and Victoria. It’s probably the smartest thing he could’ve done because as Seohyun’s mate, Yunho wouldn’t dare hurt him, his soft spot for his former pack member as wide as the Pacific. 

“You need her,” Kyuhyun reminds Yunho quietly, careful to not look the alpha in the eye.

“Not right now I don’t. Go get a hotel until I call. OUT.”

Zhou Mi bodily lifts Victoria, Kyuhyun still standing in front of them both, and they back out of the room carefully, Yunho’s eyes tracking them until he hears the door shut. Jaejoong lets go and whirls on Changmin, who’s sobbing over his passed out mate on the floor. Some time during the confusion, Jinki had come downstairs and he sits as close as Changmin allows, gently pressing his fingers to Junsu’s body, trying to figure out what had happened.

Sulli appears in the doorway, the smaller cub in her arms as a baby and Jino next to her in his wolf form, growling. It’s a picture worth a thousand words, the cubs clearly able to feel the turmoil in the pack bond. Jaejoong is slightly pleased, despite the situation, but he knows better than to fumble for his phone to take a picture. 

In their bond, Yunho snorts. He’s not really amused either, but yet there is an affection lingering for his mate’s strange picture-taking habits and it’s because of that Jaejoong knows he needn’t fear Yunho hurting anyone, even accidentally. His mate is well in control. 

“Upstairs,” Yunho orders, “I’ll call you if I need you.”

He’s already kneeling beside Changmin, reaching out to touch his shoulder but stopping as Changmin screams Junsu’s name in anguish, clutching his mate’s hand to his chest even as Jinki tries to keep his body still. 

Jaejoong doesn’t know what to do. Junsu’s alive, breathing. He isn’t going crazy from what Jaejoong can feel. He doesn’t know what’s wrong and he doesn’t know how to fix it. The whole neighborhood will be awake at this rate and this will not be easy to explain away. Again. He’ll have to come up with some dumb story that won’t contradict the last one he’d told them concerning the matron. They’ll probably have to move soon.

“What’s wrong?” He asks Jinki.

“Nothing,” Jinki says, “Everything is fine, bodily. But he’s…it’s like when you thought Yunho was dead. He shut himself down.”

Jaejoong feels his stomach sink as Changmin wails, a broken, half-howl that shatters the remaining pieces of Jaejoong’s heart. Junsu’s name falls out of Changmin’s lips as an unceasing litany, finally collapsing beside his mate and pulling him into his arms, having gotten the okay from Jinki to move him.

“Get him on the couch,” Yunho orders, and Changmin looks like letting go of Junsu is the last thing he wants to do, so Jaejoong nudges them gently, telling Changmin to lay down on his back and help to arrange Junsu on top of him. 

“Thank you,” Changmin’s tears haven’t stopped, but they’re the first thing out of his mouth that isn’t Junsu and Jaejoong will take what he can get.

“Changmin,” Yunho says, “I can pull him back into consciousness, but it isn’t going to be easy. He’s going to hurt and I need you to understand that I’m not being malicious.” 

Jaejoong doesn’t know the pain Yunho felt when Eric had brought him back from the brink of unconsciousness and nonexistence, since their bond had been ruined, but he can see Yunho’s memories of it and just the ghost of the feelings make his stomach want to hurl his lunch. Changmin would feel that, know Yunho is causing it, and want to hurt him because of it. But he can’t, because if he attacked Yunho it would mean death. 

Changmin nods.

_Do you need me_? Jaejoong asks his mate, petting his cheek for a moment. When Yunho shakes his head, Jaejoong makes a beeline for the kitchen, intentionally blocking out the sounds from the living room and going about making another pot of Junsu’s favorite tea. He’s going to need it, once he’s awake. He’s going to need as many of the pack as they can get to come home, to assure him that they’re not upset, that they don’t think any of this is his fault—and Jaejoong needs to talk to him. It’s not Junsu’s fault that Jaejoong suffered with the burden of calling Yunho mate. That had been Jaejoong’s own, very stupid decision.

_Stupid is right_ , Yunho says into his mind, but it’s laced with so much affection, the words only make Jaejoong’s heart warm. 

Then his mate’s attention is snagged and Jaejoong goes back to making tea, and then coffee, and then hot chocolate, laying it all out on the table just as Junsu’s scream pierces through the house and Jaejoong’s dampened senses. He’s awake.

Jaejoong hurries back into the living room, letting Changmin whisper into his mate’s ear while Yunho’s holds them both down to keep Junsu from thrashing, but even then it’s a very long five minutes before Junsu stills, sobbing uncontrollably, screaming at Changmin to _let me die, I deserve to die_. Jaejoong couldn’t have stopped his tears if he wanted and he lets Yoochun put arms around him and cry onto his shoulder. So much for blocking it out.

None of them will come back from this easy and it makes Jaejoong want to rip something apart.

“It’ll be okay,” Yoochun murmurs, “you sweet wolf. You fix so many things, let Changmin handle his mate. It will be fine.”

He loses track of time, held tight in Yoochun’s warm arms, mind fogging behind his tears before he feels Yunho’s presence looming and Yoochun’s smell is replaced with Yunho’s, with _mate_ , and it’s instantaneously calming. “He’s quiet,” Yunho murmurs, “go talk with him.”

Junsu’s laying on the couch by himself, letting Changmin wipe the tears from his face with a warm cloth, his body shivering not from cold but overexertion. Jaejoong wants to kiss him. “Junsu,” he croons, and falls to his knees, scooting up against the couch to press his forehead to the other wolf’s. “Junsu-yah.”

“I’m sorry,” Junsu croaks, “I’m so, so sorry, Jaejoong.”

“Junsu, it is not your fault. It was my decision to keep that secret. Mine and mine alone. You didn’t help me consciously and even if you had, it doesn’t make my choices your own. There was no way you could have known you were a _wu_ , and it doesn’t matter that you are one. No one in this pack is going to treat you differently unless they want to be torn to shreds. Do you hear me?”

“I deserve to die.“ 

Jaejoong can feel Changmin’s frustration radiating off him in waves. He just wants to keep his mate safe—Jaejoong understands that as well as Changmin’s need to make Junsu understand that, but at the moment Jaejoong’s the only one that can convince Junsu that the entire pack wants him to stay alive.

“You didn’t do anything, Kim Junsu. Nothing is your fault, do you understand? You didn’t choose this. You didn’t ask for this, it’s happenstance. And now that we know, we can prepare for it. You can learn to control it. That’s all the matters.”

Then Jaejoong really does kiss Junsu, gentle and sweet, only a second long before Changmin can even growl. His bond with Yunho is partially shut down, since his mate had gone to update Eric, but there’s less irritation because of the affection and more amusement; Yunho understands his thought process well and approves. “Would I kiss someone who doesn’t deserve it? Would Yunho let me kiss someone that had hurt the pack?”

Junsu blinks, eyes glazing as he polls his wolf. “No,” he finally whispers.

“Changmin is not just telling you these things because he is your mate. The entire pack thinks this way. All of us, you sweet submissive. You are our darling wolf and we will never abandon you no matter what you are.”

“But I—“

“You didn’t do anything.”

Junsu looks like he doesn’t believe a word Jaejoong is saying, but he’s relaxed, his body has stopped shivering, and Jaejoong tucks him under several blankets, brushing a thumb across his cheek. “Just don’t do anything stupid. Don’t break any hearts, okay?”

The submissive nods, and satisfied, Jaejoong leaves him to Changmin. Jaejoong has an alpha to care for, after all, and finds his mate pacing in the kitchen. He’s hung up the phone, but he feels a little rough around the edges and it’s only soothed when Jaejoong puts a hand on his arm. “Hey,” he says, “it’s going to be fine.”

“Why does she always hurt us? It’s not—“ he stops speaking, glancing into the living room with apprehension. _It’s not a_ wu _thing is it? I don’t want Junsu to be like that. I will do anything to keep him from changing into an abrasive asshole._

It’s not. Jaejoong is sure of it. He steps in close for a hug, and is obliged. Yunho smells so good. _It’s a Victoria thing. She’s been through a lot of crap. Give her a few years and she’ll be better with people, I promise._

_I hope so._

“I know so,” Jaejoong promises, _our Junsu will always be our Junsu._ “I’m going to cook. We have a lot of hungry wolves to soothe. You go to your study and give out hugs. I’ll be there for another one of my own soon.”

The pack will filter down, Jaejoong knows. After something so emotionally jarring, they’ll all need some time with their Alpha to be hugged and reassured. Even as he thinks this, he sees Sulli and the cubs coming down the stairs, trailing after Yunho, Jino in his wolf form with his tail wagging expectantly. 

Jaejoong only cooks a little meat, leaving quite a bit raw, but he makes some comfort food as well, a pot of jjigae, a noodle dish he throws leftover ingredients into for the hell of it. Yoona still isn’t walking, so Jaejoong saves some food for her and Jinki, setting it aside and tutting at Sulli’s cubs when they try to steal it. Voracious appetites, both of them, but they’re so adorable he gives them both an extra piece of meat off his own plate. He doesn’t want to spoil them, not really, but they’re so special it’s inevitable. _You sap_ , Yunho says into their bond. _It’s a good thing Sulli didn’t see that._

_She’s cute when she’s protective. I wish she had._

He can feel Yunho rolls his eyes all the way from the study. _Go bring that food up to Yoona_.

“Hi, love,” he says, when Yoona gives him a tentative smile. Jinki’s fast asleep in a chair by her bed, hand intertwined with hers, his head on the blankets. But the smell of the meat almost immediately wakes him, and Jaejoong leaves as Jinki begins to feed his wife.

Junsu and Changmin are still in the living room; Jaejoong can hear the murmur of their voices and he pours a cup of tea for Junsu, carrying it into the living room and feeling warm at the sight of Junsu sitting up against Changmin. “Here,” Jaejoong says, “your tea.”

“It sort of makes sense why you like that sneezy tea,” Changmin says, “Herbs and stuff.”

“It is not sneezy,” Junsu scoffs, his cheeks tinged pink.

“It kind of is,” Jaejoong tells him, “but that’s okay.”

“Drink it fast,” Changmin says, “so I can rub the smell off you.”

And that’s Jaejoong’s cue to leave, as far as he’s concerned.

Yunho’s finally alone in the den, so Jaejoong seeks him out, curling into his space and warmth, happy to just bask in the feelings flowing between them in their bond. They’d go into their sanctuaries if the pack was a little more stable, but as it is, this will have to do. 

“I feel a little bad for yelling at her,” Yunho admits. “She was rude, but I forgot to take into account everything she’s been through.”

“Zhou Mi understands and he’ll make her see,” Jaejoong pats Yunho’s thigh, “don’t worry. We’ll call them in the morning.”

They spend the day in the den, wolves coming back for more hugs, leaving the pack to fend for themselves if they need anything else. Junsu comes in at one point in his wolf form and curls around their feet. He’s much happier than before, bolstered by Jaejoong’s words and the pack’s love. By the time night falls and he’s back in his human form, he’s smiling.

Jaejoong has never been so pleased to see Junsu smile.

“I want Victoria to teach me,” Junsu tells them, sipping on a glass of wine Changmin had poured him.

“She will,” Jaejoong promises, “go spend time with your mate while you can. We’ll cover for you.”

It’s impossible to miss Changmin’s pleased growl from all the way upstairs.

 

— 

 

The first attack comes at midnight.

Yunho has his fingers around Jaejoong’s dick, Jaejoong gasping into his shoulder, when all of a sudden there’s a loud crash and the entire house shudders like it’s going to be ripped in half. Downstairs there’s the distinct sound of dishes crashing onto the ground and the pups barking.

Jaejoong’s arousal is gone in a second, and they pull on pants (mostly for the kid’s sake,) before bolting downstairs, only their super human senses saving them from being squashed underneath a bookshelf as it tips over, books and picture frames spilling out and breaking everywhere.

“Holy shit,” Yunho curses.

They nearly get tackled by Changmin, coming up from downstairs, baseball bat in hand. “What’s going on?” He has to shout to be heard over the noise.

“I don’t know,” Yunho says, even though it’s obvious. It’s not an earthquake, which leaves only magic as the explanation for the house about to come down around their ears. Jaejoong immediately regrets letting Yunho kick Victoria out—it’s not like they can do much of anything against this.

But as suddenly as it starts, it stops, an eery stillness settling over the house that makes Jaejoong’s skin crawl. He catches sight of a blur of fur from the corner of his eyes and manages to grab the youngest pup, Minjun, before he runs over the broken glass and dish ware, “Call Kyuhyun,” he tells Changmin, “we need Victoria,” before hauling the wriggling pup back to Sulli. Minho growls at his son, whose tail goes between his legs appropriately, and Jaejoong says, “the house is a mess. Don’t let them out until I give you an all clear.”

Jaejoong hauls Jinki out of bed, almost having to drag him by his ear because he doesn’t want to leave Yoona, but when Yoona threatens to lock him out if he doesn’t help the pack, his resistance dissipates and Jaejoong throws Yoona a grateful smile as he ushers the second out the door.

“Jesus,” Jinki mutters, when he sees the mess, and immediately moves to help right cabinets and bookshelves. Someone had gotten some boxes from the basement, and for the time being, Jaejoong puts the books and other unharmed objects in them to be sorted later. Seohyun’s picking up glass and Jaejoong starts for a moment because he had forgotten she’d stayed to look after their injured wolves, and he wishes she was still a part of their pack so he could flood her gratitude. “Thank you,” he says instead, patting her head, and fetching a broom to sweep the smaller pieces of glass and ceramic into a pile. They’ll need to vacuum to be absolutely sure he got it all.

Yunho’s outside, prowling the yard for even a hint of something he might be able to tear apart, and while it’s a fruitless venture, because the Fae are definitely long gone, it satisfies him. He needs to know with absolute certainty that his pack is safe. Jaejoong gives him what reassurance he can, but he had long since closed the bond between them, afraid Yunho’s fury would overtake himself as well, and that’s not something the pack could handle right now.

It takes them hours to finish, even when Junsu wanders down to help vacuum the floors (and kiss Changmin when he thinks no one is watching,) and Minho eventually comes downstairs as well, to assess the cracks in the wall (at least one will need to be torn down and rebuilt.) 

It’s lunch by the time it’s finally safe enough for the pups to leave the room and they tear around the house so fast it’s almost dizzying. Changmin is cooking for a change, and it is adorable to watch Junsu follow him around and sneak morsels of food from underneath Changmin’s fingers. 

Jaejoong keeps Yunho calm,even as he sits in Yunho’s lap on the sofa, arms tight around his mate with his lips pressed in a permanent kiss to his temple.

“You are so easily amused,” Yunho murmurs. It’s the first intelligible words he’s spoken since coming back inside from his self-imposed patrol and Jaejoong breathes a sigh of relief, opening up their bond full blast and meeting Yunho in the middle with floods of comfort. 

“You’re okay.”

It’s not a question, Jaejoong well able to feel his mate in full control of himself and his wolf, but it’s nice to hear Yunho’s affirmative murmur. “Victoria?”

“On her way. Changmin told them to wait until everything was cleaned and we had food on the table.”

“Our third is so smart.”

“He is.” 

Information apparently worth another kiss, anyway, and Jaejoong lets Yunho have his way for awhile, before someone can stop them. Not that anyone would—the last time Changmin had tried to interrupt them, Yunho had broken his arm, which had pissed Junsu off and subsequently Jaejoong and it had taken them awhile to sort themselves out. Long story short, lesson learned.

But Jaejoong suddenly feels exhausted, and instead of fighting it, curls back up on the couch, desperate to fall asleep. 

Rest comes easy.

 

— 

 

The second attack comes a day later, during breakfast.

They’d just managed to find a bunch of plastic bowls for cereal when the lights flicker. The power surges before there’s a bang, sparks flying out of the electric sockets, loud snaps echoing through the house that start in the pantry with a zing and end in the basement with the sound of Jino screaming.

The pups have never been hurt too badly before now, just scratches and bruises stemming from their rough housing and adventurous spirits. So the sensation of Jino’s pain traveling through the pack has all of the wolves scrambling for the basement, save Yunho and Jinki, who sprint outside. The alpha’s need to _catch_ something is so overwhelming Jaejoong nearly gets pulled into it. 

Outwardly, Jino doesn’t seem hurt, there’s no blood, no wound, as Sulli scoops him up and holds him close. He looks ready to pop into a transformation but Jaejoong isn’t keen on that idea—not until they know what happened.

“Playing—TV,” Minjun stutters. He’s not as developed as his brother and speech is still difficult for him. 

He makes a swishing noise with his mouth and it’s Minho that catches on first, patting his younger son’s head. “He was zapped by the electricity?”

Minjun nods.

There’s no sound from outside, although Jaejoong can feel Yunho’s growling as if in is in his own chest, but it’s not comforting. It means there’s no culprit and the anger within the pack builds. 

_Soon_ , Jaejoong promises through his bond to Yunho. _Soon_.

 

— 

 

The third attack nearly kills Jaejoong.

Victoria and Zhou Mi are still in the city, a traffic jam keeping their driving pace at a leisurely crawl, and Kyuhyun texts Changmin with updates every ten minutes. 

As far as Jaejoong is concerned, she can’t get here fast enough. He’s antsy, more so than usual, and decides that a walk around the property will burn away his extra energy. He had wanted to cook, but Changmin had got to the kitchen first, wanting to do something while Junsu napped, and so Jaejoong is left with exercise.

Their property is large, though they have neighbors enough further up the street. Yunho had picked the perfect place, a huge home on the edge of a forest, just the right amount of everything for a pack of werewolves.

He doesn’t stray too far from the house, well aware of Yunho monitoring his every step and looking out at him walking every couple of minutes. Jaejoong would feel suffocated any other day, but with unknown danger looming, he finds he appreciates it. 

Walking helps to clear his head. He half settles into the pack bonds, breathing in their presence and the fresh air, not realizing how tense he’d been until he starts to relax. He finally sits, rolling his shoulders and shifting from his pack bond to his mate bond, smiling as Yunho’s presence rolls over him, envelops him, and by the time he hears Kyuhyun’s car in the driveway, Jaejoong feels like a completely new wolf. Pack magic is a wonderful, beautiful thing.

_Hey,_ Yunho pouts, and Jaejoong can picture it clearly _, most of that was me_.

_Didn’t want to feed your ego. It’s way too big after all your macho Alpha crap_.

Yunho does not reply but Jaejoong can feel him turn away from him in a huff, irritation a farce because there’s affection leaking into their bond and promises that Jaejoong will pay for that later, when they’re not at war.

And war it is, Jaejoong thinks. Fae are unlike anything they’ve ever faced and he’d rather have the vampire and the gumihos _both_ attack them all over again than have to deal with one Fae, never mind several. He doesn’t even know what a group of Fae are called.

It’s along this train of thought that he stops paying attention to where his feet are landing. He’s getting closer to the house, after all, and can indistinctly see Victoria getting out of the car and Junsu hovering nearby. Yunho’s there too, but pointedly ignoring him, which is actually kind of cute. One of Jaejoong’s favorite Yunhos is a sulky Yunho, partly because only Jaejoong ever gets to see it (and Junsu, if Yunho’s feeling particularly down,) but mostly because that means that then, only Jaejoong can cheer him up.

He’s listing all the ways he can think up to get Yunho to smile again, later on in the afternoon, when he looses his footing, tripping over something hard and it’s so quick not even his werewolf senses can save him. 

Jaejoong expects to face plant onto hard ground.

He doesn’t.

What he falls on is wet and slimy, immediately cutting off his air and then he’s pulled down. He _sinks_. Werewolves cannot swim, and this isn’t just water. It’s magical, slippery slime pulling him down into unknown depths. In their _backyard_. Wolf howls.

_Mate!_ he calls, and knows he has longer than the average human before he runs out of air and tries to keep himself level so he doesn’t sink fast. Yunho’s already panicking, their bond exploding with fear, and Jaejoong tries to block it out so he doesn’t breathe in this treacherous slimy goo, but it’s hard. Because if he’s going to die, he doesn’t want to be alone. 

_You’re not dying. Hold on. We’re going to get you out of there._

He sinks faster, or at least it starts to feel that way, his head getting light, his body screaming for air, and warmth. The slime gets colder and colder, and Jaejoong tries to picture warm things: tea and blankets, Yunho.

_Don’t you dare, Kim Jaejoong. Stay alert._

_I love you so much. I do. I really, really love you, Jung Yunho._

_KIM JAEJOONG!_

Jaejoong refuses to open his eyes, afraid that he’ll panic, but he knows there’s light coming from somewhere because he can see the backs of his eyelids, the darkness blurring a bit green. There are black spots edging in, though, even as Yunho continues to scream his name, pull at his mind, try to yank him into his sanctuary. For some reason, it’s not working.

_Fae_ , Wolf growls.

_I love you_ , Jaejoong thinks at Yunho, again. He’s out of air, his vision all black and it’s so, so cold. 

The last thing he feels before his mind goes blank is Yunho’s presence in their bond, horrified.

He sinks.

— 

 

It’s warm.

He can smell a fire crackling somewhere and there are blankets wrapped tight around him.

And there’s Yunho. Jaejoong can feel Yunho’s body pressed against him, bare skin a burning furnace for his chilly body, heart beat a comfort as it slams against Jaejoong’s own.

He’s alive. Freezing cold. But alive.

“Jaejae?”

Jaejoong doesn’t need to look to know that Yunho’s crying, the sorrow in their bond so deep it almost over powers Yunho’s relief. “ _Jaejae_.”

“I’m alive,” Jaejoong croaks, amazed. He teeth clack together from the chill.

He can’t hold back his tears, or Yunho’s, nor does he want to stop them. They can’t talk, so Jaejoong just feels. He feels Yunho think about how scared he was that Jaejoong would die, and he lets Yunho feel how helpless Jaejoong felt when he sunk, foot by foot, the water getting colder and colder.

“You kept saying I love you,” Yunho sobs, “you kept saying it like it was the last time you were ever going to say it, like you wanted that to be the last thing you said. Jesus, Jaejoong I can’t—I thought I was going to have to go through that pain again. That I was going to have to feel you yanked away from me, feel our bond shut down. It took everyone from Jinki to Jino to keep me from jumping into the water myself after you lost consciousness. They had to knock me out.”

“I’m not dead,” Jaejoong’s still shivering, “I’m not dead. I—what?” It comes now: the fear. He doesn’t know why he hadn’t had it in the dark green of the water, but it hits him full force. He had almost lost everything. 

He screams, panic pulling at his mind, body shaking violently in the circle of Yunho’s arms, out of his control, and he finally heaves, the bed they’d been laying on an unfortunate receptacle for his halfway digested lunch.

“Okay, okay, it’s okay. You’re okay, Jaejoong.”

He feels the prick of transformation begin at his fingertips, and he welcomes the pain, wanting Wolf to take over because he too scared, too intimidated to face this right now.

He retreats into his sanctuary. He’d recently fashioned himself a beach house here, one not unlike the treehouse Yunho keeps in his forest, with wicker furniture and wind chimes blowing in the sea breeze. He curls into the large bed, snuggling down into his linens and pillows. At least here, he isn’t shivering, though it feels chillier than normal. In a moment, he’s wearing his favorite sweater, grey and soft and okay, so maybe it’s Yunho’s sweater, but whatever. It smells like his mate and it calms Jaejoong and warms him. 

He closes his eyes and waits; it isn’t long. Soon, there are footsteps, and then Yunho slides into the bed beside him, snuggling in close. His temple is kissed. “Better?”

“Yes.”

“Good.”

Jaejoong can vaguely feel Wolf curling up next to Yunho’s body back in the house. They’d moved away from the smelly bed, cuddling on the floor by the fireplace. Junsu is there, petting them both and keeping the rest of the pack away as they heal.

“Junsu is amazing,” Yunho murmurs, “shoved everyone out of the room when they came to investigate the screaming. Wouldn’t even let Changmin inside.”

“Junsu is the best.”

Jaejoong breathes deep, smelling the sea feeling the sunshine, but most importantly Yunho. His mate. Gripping the front of Yunho’s shirt, pressing his nose into Yunho’s chest makes him feel much more centered, grounded in their bond.

“What happened?” Jaejoong finally asks, when he feels like he can talk without his voice shaking, and he begins to warm with every passing second, his mate’s breath dispelling the chill with every lungful of air.

“I’m not exactly sure. One minute I felt you walking back towards the house and then the next, you were falling, sinking, and I couldn’t feel you breathing and you were professing the most sorrowful undying love. I could _feel_ you dying. And then Victoria was shouting about Fae, and Changmin and Jinki were running off, and Jinki nearly fell in after you. It was like the whole backyard had been disguised as a magical, slimy pond and it sucked you into itself. It was like it was….Fae.”

“The—the pond was a faerie?”

“I think,” Yunho nods. “Victoria—I don’t know what she did, but a few minutes after you went unconscious, it all of a sudden spit you back up. Jinki performed CPR, but you were—so cold. So, so cold. So we started a fire and piled on blankets and I got in bed hoping to warm you up with my body heat.”

That had seemed to do the trick, at least. Yunho is always what Jaejoong needs.

“Yunho?”

His mate pets his hair.

“I’m—“ Jaejoong starts. He knows Yunho can tell through their bond, is just waiting patiently for Jaejoong to say it out loud. He feels the chills start to creep up his skin again and he burrows further into Yunho, latches onto their bond more before he has the courage to speak. “I’m petrified.”

Vampires and gumihos and crazy bitch werewolves…Jaejoong didn’t really fear them. He knew what they were, what they could do, and how to defeat them. But this. _Fae_. This scares him. 

“Me too,” Yunho whispers, and Jaejoong _feels_ it, in their bond. “But I’m here. And you’re still here. And I’m going to fight. I am. And I’m going to win. I promise. Because I can’t lose my pack. Because I can’t lose _you_.”


	3. Three

Changmin hovers. 

Their bond is wide open, Junsu able to feel every breath Changmin takes, able to catch the feel of every thought that passes his mind, and vice versa. It’s comforting to be able to constantly know how much Changmin loves him, needs him, and cherishes him. He doesn’t blame Junsu for anything, and Junsu can feel the truth of that resounding in their bond. 

Part of Junsu’s uncertainty is that Changmin’s never kept his disgust of magic a secret. At least, magic outside of the pack, so the fact that he is pushing it all aside and supporting his mate is keeping Junsu from jumping off a bridge. After all, Changmin’s vehemence to it mostly stems from Junsu’s own experiences, despite the fact that losing his first pack led Junsu to his second—led him to Changmin. Changmin’s love and acceptance is the only thing Junsu needs.

That, and for his current pack to not suffer the same fate as his first.

A barrier of magic is set up by Victoria around the house and immediate yard surrounding it, done in haste after she makes sure there are no other traps lying in wait. 

Yunho forbids any of his wolves from leaving. It’s the weekend, thankfully, so they have a few days to sort themselves out, and hopefully the barrier will be able to dissipate come Monday morning. Junsu isn’t holding out hope, but he doesn’t say anything because Kibum looks ready to pop a vein as he paces the lawn, stir crazy.

Victoria and Zhou Mi also have lives to go back to living, once it’s safe, and Yunho asks Junsu with the utmost delicacy if he could maybe learn a few things in order to defend himself. Even if they get rid of this group of Fae, it is inevitable that other things, Fae or not, will come knocking. So Junsu and Victoria take over the living room for magic lessons, Zhou Mi and Changmin sitting close by to provide support, if necessary.

“There are different names for us,” Victoria tells Junsu. “I am _wu_ because I am a female. But you are male, so the word for you is _xi_. I said the word _wu_ earlier in reference to you, because it’s the most well known, but it’s important you know the correct—” she pauses, “words?”

“Terms,” Zhou Mi suggests gently, with a smile. He has a nice smile, and it puts Junsu a little more at ease. 

She begins to write a character on the piece of paper, each line traced out as if she were caressing a baby’s skin until it reads: 覡. “ _Xi_ ,” she reiterates. “The most important thing to know is that everything you know is wrong. We don’t do voodoo, we don’t do—“ she turns to Zhou Mi, asking something in Mandarin.

“No astrology,” Zhou Mi says, “no superstition.”

“It is magic,” Victoria says, “magic in the earth. Magic in the air. We are rainmakers. Healers. We use the earth and plants…nature.”

 _Well, that might explain why you’ve always smelled like herbs_ , Changmin thinks into their bond, and Junsu has to reluctantly agree.

“ _Xi_ learn to use the earth’s energy with _human_ energy, or in this case werewolf energy, to make things work as we wish. Human and _xi_ are powerful, but werewolf and _xi_ are even more so, because a werewolf is already magical. Werewolves have pack magic. Mated werewolves have _mate_. You will be a powerful _xi_. Within _wu_ and _xi_ , there is _wuxian_ , the immortal alchemist, or _wushen_ the spirit god. The wizard. But these are not as important. For now, just think that you are _xi_.”

“ _Xi_ ,” Junsu repeats, carefully, and gets a smile for his trouble and a gentle kiss of encouragement from his mate. 

They start slow, with meditation, mind training: “finding the energy,” as Victoria starts to call it. Junsu’s good at this, having been meditating for years before his performances in order to focus himself. It’s slightly different, but easy to apply the same principles.

He already knows quite a lot of basic herbs and plants due to his interest in gardening, so Victoria skips right into their usage and the energies they possess and how to manipulate them.

“The bog Fae,” she says, ignoring Junsu’s little shiver of fear, “I dispelled him by running opposite to his energy. Do you understand? He was wet and cold, I pushed hot and dry against him, and that was the end. It’s important to know what are opposites. For example, lack of virtue is not vice. It is—apathy.” She pauses before the more difficult words, as if asking Zhou Mi in their bond for translation and then repeating it. “The opposite of soft can be hard but it can also scratchy. You have to feel a person, or a thing, feel their energy to know their true opposite. It is different for everyone.”

They stick with hot and cold for the first lesson, in the simplest sense. There is warm and tepid and boiling and a million other degrees of hot, all of which have corresponding temperatures of cold. “You’ll learn them all, you’ll learn all the stages of growth and their opposing factors. It’s a—dynamic principle. All things—manifest in an infinite variety of forms and degrees and phases; _xi_ learn to manipulate them. We were in a rush so I couldn’t grab all my books, but once it’s safer to leave I will take you out and we can buy some.”

By the end of the day, Junsu’s head is spinning. But he feels centered and more in control of himself than ever before. He can even warm his hands of his own accord. It’s a step in the right direction.

“So that’s great,” Changmin whispers, “you can warm up your fingers before you touch my dick.” He accepts the punch from Junsu, grinning, and also the one from Jaejoong, who had entered the living room just in time to overhear. “Glad to see you up and about. We were worried.”

“Like I’d leave you alone for more than a day,” Jaejoong scoffs.

“May I remind you I was Alpha for a little while.”

Junsu smiles, wrapping arms around his mate and soaking in all his happy feelings as he bickers with Jaejoong, both of them poking at each other until Yunho comes down stairs freshly showered and pushes Jaejoong against the refrigerator for a kiss. And then another. And then they just start to make out.

“Wow, okay. I see how it is.”

“You can kiss me,” Junsu offers, and sighs happily when Changmin does. They don’t pull apart until their landline rings, and Junsu is the one that picks it up (because it doesn’t look like Yunho’s tongue is going to come out of Jaejoong’s mouth anytime soon.)

“Hello?” Junsu shoves at Changmin’s cheek as he tries to kiss down Junsu’s neck, Jaejoong snorting at them in the background.

“Um. Yes. Is Jung Yunho there?”

Junsu pushes at Changmin’s face again, raising an eyebrow at Yunho, wondering if he recognizes the voice. But Yunho only shrugs, stepping out from the circle of Jaejoong’s arms.

“He is, one moment please.”

They stay in the kitchen, curiosity peaked as their Alpha takes the handheld. Junsu’s not surprised when it’s the local Police Chief—they’d been expecting a call for weeks now and he’s honestly surprised it had taken this long.

Yunho’s pleasant enough, assuring the chief that his wolves are harmless (though they will protect each other like any other human might, given enough provocation,) and he’d be more than happy to hold a question and answer session for the concerned and/or curious citizens. The chief ends their phones conversation sounding much more relieved.

“That went better than expected,” Yunho says. 

“It’s a good thing he didn’t ask you to go out of the house.”

“It’s a good thing he didn’t come here,” Jaejoong adds. “We better get this figured out before he calls again.”

 

— 

 

By dinner, Junsu can light a candle with the snap of his finger and start the faucet from twenty feet away. “Is that normal?” Changmin asks, “it seems fast.”

“Yes to both,” Victoria nods, “the magic is already there, after all. He does not need to gather it, or store it in himself. Magic is always there, and it will not run out, not until the end of the world. Accessing it is easy. Starting a small fire is also simple,” she nods to Junsu, who’s still waving his hand over the candle back and forth, the flame flickering on and off. “It will get harder, eventually. But he is smart. He will learn quick, I think.”

“Do you hear that? I’m smart!”

“I heard. We’ll have to see if I believe.”

“You’re a jerk, Shim Changmin.” Their bond floods with affection so thick, Changmin can taste Junsu on his lips and feel his skin underneath his fingertips and before he realizes it, he’s slammed Junsu into the wall and is scenting up his neck, fingers making bruises on Junsu’s hips. Everything that he is screaming _mine! My mate!_. Their bond has never felt quite so _open_ and every one of Changmin’s senses is on fire with Junsu. The feel of him, the smell of him, all of it. All for Changmin. 

Junsu isn’t complaining, the sentiments echoing back and forth: Changmin needs him. Wants him. _Now_.

It takes Yunho’s gentle hand on his shoulder for Changmin to calm down, breathing harshly through his nose. He still cannot let go, his eyes focused on Junsu’s bitten mouth, the flush in his cheeks..

“Changes in a person mean changes in a bond,” Yunho says quietly, Victoria nodding along in the background. “Do you need some privacy?” 

Changmin certainly wants some. 

“Go,” Yunho nods his head towards the stairs, “Just stay in your sanctuary. I do not want the pups to hear anything.”

They don’t need to be told twice.

 

— 

 

Junsu’s beautiful, naked. He’s beautiful all of the time, certainly, but Changmin will never get enough of his bare skin and the way the light plays across it. The way it always seems to match the color of his hair (whatever it is at the time,) will forever fascinate Changmin. He’s drawn to Junsu and he always wants to be. The moment Junsu leaves this world, Changmin will follow.

“Don’t be morbid,” Junsu murmurs.

“You were the one that wanted to die a few days ago.”

“A brief moment of insanity.” And one he’s apologized for over and over again.

“You’ll always be right for me, no matter what you are. No matter what life you’re living.”

Junsu’s skin is still sweaty, because he likes to lie sticky in the afterglow for awhile. It makes him feel human. Changmin doesn’t, but he brushes his fingers against it anyway, kissing up Junsu’s cheek until Junsu sighs and turns his face. “Kiss my mouth if you’re gonna kiss me. No time for anything else.” 

Before Junsu, Changmin’s sanctuary had been all mountains and lakes, the scenery swirling with dark colors and cool wind. But now there’s a beach on the edge of one lake, the sand soft and the sun warm. There’s a house deep in the woods for them, so here they have only a bed, posts sinking into the sand, sheets half on, half off, their bodies sinking into feather pillows.

Changmin’s half worked up again, drinking in the satisfied sounds every time Junsu is kissed, hands sliding down his body to less innocent places when he feels a familiar tug in his mind. They both sigh. “Damn Alpha,” Junsu mutters, “could have at least given us a second round.”

“Later,” Changmin promises, and pulls them back to the real world.

Jaejoong’s waiting above them, foot tapping on the floor. He’s not afraid, exactly, but Changmin can smell his anxiety. “What’s the matter?”

“Fae,” Jaejoong says, “Stay down here and do not come upstairs unless you feel Yunho pull at you through the pack bond.” It’s a firm order and they both have to acknowledge it before Jaejoong is satisfied and leaves.

Changmin pushes up against a wall and lets Junsu curl into him, head snug against his chest and in perfect placement for Changmin to kiss. They cannot hear what is going on outside, but between the suddenly oppressive smell of Fae and the almost tangible anger of the pack zinging through them. Most of it is fueled by Junsu’s terror, which Changmin thinks any wolf a mile away would be able to smell. “It’s going to be okay. You’re safe with me. I would never, ever allow anything to happen to you. I would never let any Fae use you. I promised to take care of you and I will.”

“But they’re so powerful, they’re so strong, Changmin.”

“So are you, Kim Junsu. _So are you_.”

 

— 

 

The next day, Junsu blows a hole through the living room wall and accidentally knocks Jaejoong out cold. He expects to be hit ( _Changmin_ expects Junsu to be hit, looking away and blocking him a little so as to not get mad at their alpha,) but Yunho only laughs, barely able to breathe, kissing Junsu full on his mouth when he finds enough air to speak. “He was driving me crazy. Thank you, darling submissive.”

“What,” Changmin deadpans, and Yunho cackles again, even as he scoops Jaejoong up in his arms and carries him upstairs to their bed. “No kissing! _What happened to no kissing_?”

“I thought he was going to rip me apart,” Junsu admits, feeling tension ooze out of his body, nearly loosing his footing. 

“I will never understand them,” Changmin growls, “not ever.”

When Jaejoong wakes up, he grumbles a bit about the kiss and doesn’t shut up until Junsu seizes his face and returns the favor (studiously ignoring Changmin spluttering in the background.) “There. Now we’re all even, please shut up.”

“You are the strangest pack of werewolves I’ve ever seen,” Zhou Mi comments from the kitchen, “and I’ve seen a lot.”

“I like us this way,” Junsu says.

No one bothers to fix the hole, save cleaning up the cracked drywall and splintered wood. They’re all too busy. The Fae the day before had delivered an ultimatum: hand Junsu over to them within three days or the pack will die. No one planned to do that, of course, but they’re all far too consumed with preparing defenses to care about Junsu ruining some sheetrock.

Everyone except Victoria.

“No good,” she says, dragging Junsu to the basement, “you must control your blasts of air.”

“I was controlling it. There was just—too much of it.”

“No control! Now block me—no! Not with wind. You do not block wind with wind. That just makes it twice as strong. You must make the opposite of wind. Think about it, Kim Junsu.”

Junsu ruins three more walls before he can make air do whatever it is he wants.

The next day, Yoona is up and walking, the last of the magic and silver in her system drained away and her natural healing abilities finally kickstarting in her body. She spends most of the day locked away with Jinki, and while they don’t hear anything, there is no mistaking the scent that rolls out from underneath her door.

“He asked the Fae why they attacked her,” Jaejoong says, when Junsu wrinkles his nose at the door. “They said it was because she’s pretty and they like pretty things. He went into a rage and nearly broke my arm as I held him back.”

Junsu can well imagine. Jinki may not outwardly appear very strong, but when angry, it becomes extraordinarily evident that he is indeed Yunho’s second and no one in the pack will ever come close to him in terms of strength. Not Changmin, as they once suspected. Not even Siwon’s second is as strong as Jinki.

“Sorry,” Yoona whispers when they finally emerge and Junsu reaches out to give her a hug.

“Don’t be. We’re pack. Besides, it got Changmin all riled up and that always ends well for me.”

She stays stuck to his side while Jinki and Yunho go into the kitchen for a war council and he starts to show her everything he’s learned: candle lighting, wind manipulation, plant growth. She watches amazed as things come to life at the edge of his fingertips and then simultaneously die off. “You’re incredible.”

“I don’t feel incredible,” Junsu admits. 

“You are, and if you don’t wipe that frown off your face I’m going to tell Changmin on you.”

But Changmin already knows. Changmin always knows. He spends that night kissing every inch of Junsu’s skin, breathing back life into the parts of Junsu that feel dead, that don’t feel like they belong. “Here,” Changmin murmurs, into the jut of hipbone, “exists strength, exists your ability to move in whichever way you want. Here,” he kisses his belly, kisses his throat, “exists your ability to speak, to sing, to move a person and make them feel what you want them to feel. Here,” he kisses Junsu’s mouth, his cheeks, his eyelids, “here exists beauty, the face of the person I love so deeply, no matter what.”

 _And your soul,_ Changmin continues in their bond because Junsu presses their lips together, _Junsu, your soul is everywhere. It’s all of those things. And it’s ethereal, so incredible. This thing—being a_ Xi _—it is just another part of you. One that I love. One that is important._

“It is magic.”

“I don’t care. The pack doesn’t care. Get good at it. Use it. Protect us with it.”

Junsu turns his head into Changmin’s shoulder, body burning with feelings and emotions he’s not quite sure he can explain. “Alright.”

 

— 

 

The police chief calls the house again the next morning, expressing in clipped tones that there are several officials in the government that would like to meet. Would tomorrow be a good time?

It wouldn’t, Junsu thinks. They’re still besieged by Fae and they can’t exactly tell the world that, even if they do know that the Fae exist. They just think all the Fae are in Reservations and Lord knows what would happen if they were to think they lived outside of them. The repercussions, for both Fae and werewolf, would most likely be terrible.

“I’m sorry,” Yunho says, “but I’m so terribly busy. We have a new pack member and I can’t leave him alone just yet.”

Sometimes, Yunho’s ability to lie so smoothly astounds Junsu.

“Oh…is he dangerous?”

“Not at all. Quite harmless. But to seamlessly join the pack there are protocols and I cannot ignore them. I hope you understand.”

Obviously, the man doesn’t, and he won’t ever, unless he becomes a werewolf. But he lies too, as one does when you aren’t sure what to say. “Of course. Well. Perhaps next week? Uh—we’ve been getting some—letters—since the announcement. People are…worried.”

Worried. Junsu glances at Changmin, but his mate shrugs. It could mean anything.

“Once I’m free I’ll be more than happy to explain anything to them. I’ll give you a call in the next few days. What did you say your number was?”

“Is this because of that ‘errand’ you ran the other day,” Junsu asks, air quotes incredibly exaggerated. 

Changmin blushes. “Of course not. I was very discreet.”

“You didn’t tell me what it was.”

“I will, when the time is right. It’s not bad, so don’t worry about it. Let’s figure out this mess with the police instead.”

But it isn’t just the police chief.

Junsu can sense humans now and again, stopping at the end of their driveway and peeking up it, obviously hoping to catch sight of one of them. Sometimes they do, though the wolves studiously ignore them, but after awhile, when it becomes apparent that they aren’t going away, Yunho orders everyone to stay inside while he goes to talk with them. Junsu does his best to keep everyone calm but the entire pack inside one house can only last for so long before someone loses it.

It’s Minjun that comes to him first, crawling in his toddler form because he’s still confused when it comes to four paws and two feet and Junsu lifts him easily, cuddling him close and not at all surprised when Jino is quick to follow. 

Minjun has an arm of a teddy bear clamped tight in his mouth and it’s so adorable, Junsu doesn’t have the hear to tell Minjun that in human form, wolves don’t hold things in their teeth. “Where’s your mother?” Junsu asks instead.

“Growling at Daddy,” Jino whispers.

“Oh dear,” Junsu coos, “well, you can sit with me for awhile. I don’t mind.”

“Will Changmin mind?” 

“I won’t.”

Jino’s all smiles as Changmin appears, the third easily one of his favorite wolves to shadow. Secretly, Changmin’s been teaching Jino to fight, because everyone can see he’s going to at least be as strong as his father, and with Yunho and Jinki too busy to teach them, the task falls on Changmin’s shoulders. Even though he is their father, Minho would have to be stronger than Changmin to officially have that duty. 

“Junsu’s good for cuddles, isn’t he?” 

The younger wolf gives them a gummy smile before turning back into Junsu’s shoulder chew on the teddy bear.

Jonghyun is next, sidling into the room with puffy eyes and sore knuckles. No one asks what he hit, and Junsu allows him to press into his other side and leech off his comfort. His scrapes heal, even as he drips blood onto the couch—Junsu makes a note to clean it off before Jaejoong sees. 

One by one, the wolves in the house all slink over to him and Changmin eventually lifts both the pups up (their parents are still not to be seen,) and carries them outside to the backyard to roughhouse. They don’t need as much time as adults to ease their cabin fever, after all, and in the back they can’t be seen by anyone except those already in the house.

“You’re the best,” Yoochun murmurs, face half smashed into Junsu’s hip, Boa curled into him, her breathing still ragged. Junsu sends him a little more love, petting back his hair and feeling his own strength build up from the calm he gives Yoochun. 

He can still feel Yunho at the end of driveway with the neighbors. He is incredibly calm considering the fact that Junsu can hear the humans muffled yelling from here. Jinki is with him, though, as is Jaejoong, and between the both of them they’re keeping the alpha’s temper in check.

“This isn’t going to end well,” Junsu sighs.

“No,” Yoochun agrees, “it’s not.”

 

—

 

“I think we need to move.”

Yunho’s statement is met by silence, though the confusion and turmoil rolling through the bond doesn’t need words to be expressed. The pack has been in this house for years, almost a century, if you count the time the girls and Yunho spent here before the rest of the pack began to join.

“Just to be safe,” Jaejoong continues. “They didn’t say they meant to harm us, and it’s not like they actually could, but I think it would be best if we get out of here before the whole pack can be identified. We should live quietly and not cause any trouble until they can get used to the idea of us. Yunho and I were announced as were Changmin and Junsu and Jinki. They rest of you aren’t known as werewolves and we really think for awhile it should remain that way.”

There’s a group, Yunho tells them, an official, organized group of anti-supernaturals, people that want the Fae gone (impossible, though hardly anyone knows that,) and people that want werewolves gone (less impossible, and difficult, but also unknown.) They’re growing and agitated and Junsu is more than positive they’re the sort of people that will stick to their beliefs no matter what anyone says. There’s always people like that, unfortunately, always people that want their ways to remain and everything unexplainable or new to just go away.

“But this isn’t an order,” Yunho says, “I want everyone to agree on this before we actually do it. If you don’t want to move that’s fine. But we’ll get a house large enough for everyone. For the time being, however, we’re going to go up into the mountains. Eric has a house up there he is going to let us use until we find something else.”

 _We’ll probably be in the city most of the time_ , Changmin says into their bond. _How will that work?_

 _I’m going to have to take a break from musicals anyway to get this_ Xi _thing under control. And you can work from home as needed. We can just rent out our condo and we’ll be fine._

He winds their fingers together, squeezing tight as one by one the wolves nod in agreement. 

“Thank you.” Yunho’s approval and love floods the room, all the wolves basking in it for a moment, cuddling up next to whichever wolf is closest.

And then for the second time that day, Junsu finds himself in the middle of a pile of wolves, all of them seeking attention and love. Since Yunho is there this time it’s not quite as exhausting, and they all fall asleep in the living room, in various forms, and before Junsu knows it, the second day of the ultimatum passes, with no plan of attack except…attack.

Attack and win.

 

—

Jaejoong finds himself fascinated with Junsu’s magic. 

It isn’t that Junsu had been lacking before now, or that something had been missing from his character, but at the same time it’s exactly how it feels. With magic, Junsu seems happier, like there had been a piece of the Kim Junsu puzzle that had been missing—except no one had realized it so no one had bothered looking for it.

His affinity with it grows as well, every single hour his strength multiplying exponentially. In no way is he as deft as Victoria, and it will be a long time before he’s on par with her, but she seems pleased with his progress, and so that pleases Jaejoong. At least, as pleased as he can be with an attack from the Fae looming over them.

It’s nearly the end of the third day and there’s been nothing. Victoria had set up defenses the night before and they’re still in place, quiet and undisturbed. It’s surprisingly peaceful outside, even the pups subdued and sticking close to Sulli, although they’ve been popping in and out of wolf form so often Jaejoong can’t keep track of them, like there’s more than just two.

Despite Yunho’s talk, the people at the end of the driveway do not lessen. There’s less curiosity now and more anger, spray paint streaking across the road in front of them, slurs spelled out in all sorts of colors, death threats flown over the hedges in the form of paper airplanes, people trying to sneak through the tall hedges with god knows what. Victoria’s wards seem to keep them out well enough, though, and Jaejoong feels much better about everything knowing she’s there to help. Really, she’s more then made up for the grief she had previously caused.

He wants to tell her this, finds himself determined to do it after their subdued dinner, but he never gets a chance.

The force of the Fae attack hits the magical barrier with such strength, the house shudders. It feels like an earthquake, all the carefully righted bookshelves crumbling back down, windows shattering inwards into incredibly sharp shards that just miss shredding Yoona.

Jinki has her covered on the floor with his body in seconds, his growl echoing Yunho’s. 

Jaejoong wants something to tear. The problem is, there isn’t anything.

The Fae attack with magic and it’s all Jaejoong can do to get the wolves downstairs and away from all of the household items exploding despite Junsu and Victoria’s best efforts to keep everything in place, to counterattack. 

They almost all make it down.

Jaejoong sees it out of the corner of his eye: a small little blur of fur dashing towards them from the front door. He keeps the door to the basement open, panicked all of a sudden because he hadn’t noticed, he didn’t realize that Minjun hadn’t been with them at dinner. Where had he been? And how did none of them notice? How did Minho and Sulli not realize?

His stomach is sinking because the crashing is getting louder, and Minho is next to him looking frantic, hands outstretched to grab onto his son—but he doesn’t make it. 

It takes Jaejoong a moment to process what he’s seeing (it takes him a moment to feel it, in the pack,) and then the grief hits him as soon as he hears Sulli’s high pitched wail of sorrow, the pack echoing it almost simultaneously.

His death was instantaneous, Jaejoong thinks. 

Minjun’s wolf lays on the floor in front of his father, head hit hard against a flying stone, and he’s lifeless. He isn’t there anymore, his bond in the pack ripped away from them, torn from his family, and now Jaejoong can hear Jino screaming, can feel Yunho holding Jino and Sulli back and Jaejoong just manages to grab onto Minho before it’s too late.

“You can’t. Minho, you cannot, that’s an order.”

“My—son. You can’t. _Let me at them_.”

But he can’t. None of them can, they cannot fight an enemy they cannot see. The pain in the pack is almost too much, and Jaejoong has to swallow down his own rage and beat away his own tears because they can’t lose anyone else. They can’t. He will not allow it, and it takes all of his strength to drag Minho behind the door and down the stairs, screaming and swearing the whole way.

Yoochun comes up beside him and has arms around both Minho and Jaejoong the second they are with the rest of the pack. 

Changmin dashes past him, clearly having permission, and Jinki is close on his heels, both of them holding onto iron swords that will give them an edge against corporeal Fae, should they show. They’re good fighters and Jaejoong doesn’t worry for them.

He worries about Minho. About Sulli. Jino seems to be hyperventilating.

Jaejoong holds them close and prays.


	4. Chapter 4

Changmin has to almost completely block the pack from his mind. The sorrow ripping through the wolves is so overwhelming, the only solution is to shut himself out of it. He has to focus in order to help Junsu, to give his mate strength. That’s his only priority right now. 

Still, he takes a moment to move Minjun’s body (that is now back in its human form,) away from danger, covering him carefully with a nearby blanket. He should be fine there.

It only seems right, even with a magical battle waging around them.

The plan had been for Yunho to fight with Changmin and Jinki, but with Minjun torn away from them, the only thing that will keep the pack from descending into the depths of madness is its Alpha. So Jinki and Yoochun stand next to Changmin instead, all of them with iron weapons. Changmin would like to thank whichever deity it was that decided giving the Fae a weakness that no other creature, supernatural or not, has. It does make fighting them easier—when they decide to present themselves with actual bodies, anyway.

Victoria had set up protection charms in places all over the house, most of them iron-infused, and the wolves form something of a triangle, swords pointed outward and slashing anything that flies into their path until they’re within one of the charms.

Junsu is up ahead, Changmin can feel him, his rage tantamount and his desire to win so incredibly fierce. 

Changmin can’t really explain what it is he sees. Flashes of magic in the form of light, whirling through the house along with dishes and shards of glass and books, as if it’s one big tornado whirling around them. They won’t have a house after this is done, Changmin has never seen anything like it.

And then suddenly it’s still.

Everything in the air falls to the ground, crashing around them and splintering. The second floor is mostly gone, the roof missing entirely and the air is so cold Changmin actually shivers. He wonders if this is the cold Jaejoong had felt when he’d been sinking into the green goo; it probably is.

Then Changmin sees them.

They almost have no shape, but as they grow nearer the wisps of gray take on something of a human form—they almost have faces. It’s terrifying, Changmin struck with a fear that makes him immobile, and he can only watch as they approach his mate.

But Junsu—Junsu seems so calm.

The tallest of the shapes approaches Junsu, the others circling around and confronting Victoria. Changmin doesn’t pay attention to them, all of his focus on his mate, their bond wide open, strength flowing between the two of them.

_I love you_.

Their battle is fierce. Changmin can only watch, entirely in awe as magic pours from his mate, as Junsu uses the things around him to thwart every attack. He has a strategy, Changmin can tell, though he can’t make heads or tail of it. But even then it’s a difficult battle. Junsu tries so hard, does his utmost best, sweat clinging to him, his body healing even as it’s cut, and Changmin has never been so proud.

But it’s inevitable, really. Junsu is inexperienced. Junsu is a submissive. Junsu doesn’t _like_ fighting, even if it’s necessary. Time either speeds up or slows down, Changmin can’t tell, but even then with the iron tight in his grip, Junsu is caught in the Fae’s hold, silver knife burning against his throat, magic thick in the air, choking them. Even then, Changmin is proud. 

Changmin is somehow happy. 

His mate is amazing. 

The Fae stands in front of Changmin, reeking. He’s angry, faceless, freezing cold. Everything, Changmin knows, that his darling, beautiful Junsu is not. A true opposite to everything that Changmin loves.

A hole opens in the shadow, a mouth, demanding surrender. The Fae demand Junsu. They need him, the last of the pack of wolves they decimated so long ago. They need his blood, they want it. It will make them stronger.

_Changmin_ , Junsu says into their bond, _I need you to stab me_.

Changmin is sure then, that time does stop.

The picture Junsu sends him is all wrong, it doesn’t make any sense. _How will that help, mate?_ He doesn’t understand why, he doesn’t know how hurting Junsu will make this all better, but above all else, Changmin trusts Junsu. His wolf trusts Junsu. Junsu is asking this of him, knowing that Changmin will make a good decision, even if he doesn’t understand why it has to happen.

Junsu’s smiling at him, neck still burning, the knife pressing tight. His mate is so gorgeous and for the life of him, Changmin cannot look away.

_Do it, now!_

Standing in the ruins of the house, of their pack, the wolves below unable to fight, Jinki and Yoochun fending off the other Fae with Victoria, Changmin levels his blade at Junsu’s stomach. Even if they die, it will help the others, even if this is the only way to end it, they’ll be ending it together. Changmin refuses to live without his darling wolf and he knows that Junsu feels the same way. Both of them will do whatever it takes to keep the pack they love safe from harm. They don’t want anyone else to get hurt.

They don’t want anyone else to die. 

The iron pierces Junsu’s flesh easily, Changmin screaming along with his mate because of the pain echoing in their bond, pushing the sword through Junsu and straight into the Fae on the other side. The blast of power that results a mere second later knocks Changmin onto his knees and he feels a bone or two crack.

Junsu’s face is the last thing Changmin sees before the world goes black.

He’s smiling.

— 

The beach in Junsu’s sanctuary is calm. 

Changmin becomes aware of it piece by piece: the sand sinking in between his toes, the sound of the waves, the smell of the sea, the sunlight warm against his skin. It takes a few minutes for him to get his limbs working and even then his walking is slow. 

It feels like hours before he reaches Junsu’s hammock, and he smiles, because Junsu looks so glorious curled up in it with just enough room for Changmin to join him.

“Hi, mate,” Changmin murmurs.

“Hi.”

Junsu’s body is warm and soft, and Changmin sinks into the hammock easy and gentle. Holding his mate close has never been sweeter, and they stay that way, the breeze rocking them, the sound of the waves lapping at the shore a tempting lullaby.

But now is not the time for sleep, nice as that would be.

“What did I do?” Changmin finally asks, when Junsu’s perpetually shining sun sinks in the sky and the horizon is lit with the colors of a sunset, their vibrance more brilliant than Changmin’s ever seen. His mate is an artist, for sure; Changmin doesn’t think he could make a sunset look like that.

Junsu smiles up at him, pressing the briefest of kisses to his cheek. “We aren’t dead,” he says.

It’s a little silly, because Changmin knows that. If they were dead they wouldn’t be in Junsu’s sanctuary right now. And Changmin can feel the pack a little, the panic settling into them as they try to figure out what the hell had happened. He’s pretty sure they’re all safe.

Everyone except for Minjun. 

“What did we do, Junsu?”

“We killed the Fae. Well, one. We killed one Fae. I’m sure Victoria took care of the rest of them.” 

It’s not entirely satisfactory, as far as answers are concerned. “How?”

“Blood,” Junsu says. “I’ve been thinking about opposites, you know? How I have to learn the opposites of everything, how I need to know the opposites of things in order to nullify them and how many different variables there are. And then I thought about the Fae and what sort of things are opposite to them.” 

He yawns, suddenly, exhaustion setting in and Changmin snuggles in closer. Their surroundings are dimming (not in the way that means death, but in the way that means Junsu barely has enough energy to keep a hold on his sanctuary.) 

Changmin kisses the top of his head. “Come on, let’s move to my sanctuary. This is draining you.”

He doesn’t wait for Junsu’s permission, tugging them from the warm beach to their cozy cabin on Changmin’s mountain. Changmin has just finished constructing it, turning all his extra energy towards making the formation in his mind a permanent one. It has Junsu’s approval, at any rate, and that’s all that matters.

“So opposites.”

“Opposites,” Junsu nods. 

The mountain air of Changmin’s sanctuary is chilly, and they’re wearing more layers than they had been earlier. He gets a fire crackling in the fireplace and tugs Junsu closer to him, tucking in the covers around them easier. It feels like he’s been doing that too often lately, for all the wrong reasons.

“I’ve been thinking about all the things that are Fae. What makes up a Fae? What are their little parts and things that make them tick? If I know the parts, the elements that make them who they are, then I can counteract that with its opposites. But. Fae are magic. I can’t use magic against them because it would only make them stronger. Like when Jaejoong was caught in the Fae—Victoria couldn’t use raw magic she had to specifically think of something to get him out.”

“Heat,” Changmin supplies. 

“But I knew that wouldn’t work a second time. So I had to think of something else. I tried so many things and then—I heard you say it.”

“Heard me say what?”

Junsu turns a little, to get a better look at Changmin’s face; his smile is so bright and genuine despite his exhaustion. It’s so beautiful and Changmin can’t help but rub his thumb across Junsu’s cheek, cradle his jaw and press their lips together. He savors it.

“For a moment, when he held the knife to me, I thought that was it. I thought if giving my life would save everyone else, then I would gladly pay that price. But then—then I heard you think that I was everything the Fae wasn’t. That I was warm and sweet and handsome. That I wasn’t afraid to show myself while the Fae remained faceless. And I realized that if I believed I was the exact opposite of the Fae, then I had to fight him with myself. Not with magic or anything else, but the essence of who I was. You had an iron sword and the only way I could think to get myself inside of the Fae was to use my blood. My blood plus the iron was the best chance we had. And it worked.”

The fire crackles, a log slipping down as it’s burned away, the sparks flying into the air and burning away before Changmin asks, “Did it?”

“It did. Right now, we’re in lying out in the yard and Seohyun is treating my stomach wound. Victoria is getting rid of the Fae bodies. And before you can ask, I know this because I didn’t cut myself off from the pack before the battle started. Yunho is keeping you blocked because he doesn’t know how you feel about stabbing me in the belly and doesn’t want that affecting an already mourning pack. Don’t be a grump about it, Shim Changmin, he’s just looking out for everyone.”

Changmin is not being a grump—disgruntled perhaps, but he supposes that his alpha has a point. Better to be safe then sorry. “Can’t you tell him I’m fine and to unblock me?”

“I don’t have the energy for that. I’m barely managing to hang onto them as it is.”

“Then rest. I’ll be here when you wake up.”

They can put everything on hold for awhile. Junsu can focus on healing (there was no silver on the blade, after all and Changmin didn’t pierce anything important, so it won’t take very long) and Changmin can vaguely feel his kneecaps throbbing as they piece themselves back together. 

They fall asleep to the sound of the perpetually burning fire and the wind whipping through the pine tress outside.

— 

There’s no hiding the damage from their neighbors. Or the town. Or really the country.

The police chief arrives just after Victoria makes the last of the Fae bodies vanish and Jaejoong decides to stay with Sulli and Minho while Yunho and Jinki go to talk. Thankfully, the news crews are held back from the yard, unable to get a fix on most of their faces. Still, Victoria sets up a barrier so they appear a little blurry to the human eye, just in case. It’s a small mercy. 

The grief after losing Minjun is so incredibly strong, only the more dominant wolves are able to surpass it. Even Yoochun is having difficulty remaining alert, though Jaejoong suspects it’s also because Changmin and Junsu are still both passed out. Yunho said they were both fine and just conserving energy in their sanctuaries but it’s hard to know that for sure when Jaejoong can barely feel them. It’s clearly torture for Yoochun; he and Boa are curled around them both even as Seohyun hovers, making sure they’re both healing correctly.

The wolf that has it the worst is Jino. He’s pressed up close between his parents, all three of them somehow touching any part of Jaejoong they can reach. He’s giving them what comfort he can but they really need Junsu. Jaejoong is too angry to truly help.

_Jaejoong, can you call Eric? We’ll need to talk to him._

Jinki comes jogging up to him a moment later, maneuvering in so he can take Jaejoong’s place. “I’ll sit here with them.” 

Taemin crawls over from where he’d been crying in Kibum’s arms and Jonghyun is quick to join them, forming piles of limbs around the grieving parents and if it wasn’t Yunho calling him over, Jaejoong would be a little jealous of the cuddle pile. He loves cuddle piles.

Eric is predictably only a few minutes away when Jaejoong calls him and so Jaejoong walks down to the end of the driveway to wait for him. 

“It’s a really good thing you’re looking for other places to live,” Eric says, when he sees the mostly destroyed state of the house.

“It is.”

“I guess I shouldn’t be terribly surprised there are humans here.”

“We tried to hide this but,” Jaejoong shrugs, “it was unavoidable.”

He’s tempted to stick around as Eric talks to the police chief with Yunho but he sees Changmin stirring out of the corner of his eye and that is the end of that. Changmin and Junsu are much more important to him then a human that doesn’t understand their world and he leaves Yunho to it, running to where Yoochun is helping Changmin to sit.

“Changmin!”

The link to Changmin in the pack is back, soothing part of the ache Jaejoong has been trying to ignore and he almost starts to cry. He’d hug Changmin but Yoochun had gotten there first. 

“Is Junsu okay?”

“He’s resting in my sanctuary. He’s totally fine. How is his body?”

Seohyun gives him a smile that makes Jaejoong have to wipe away a few of his tears. He’s overheard Seohyun tell everyone in the pack that Junsu will heal just fine but there’s something different about Changmin hearing it. Something wonderful. Something definite.

“And…” Changmin can’t seem to say it, his gaze moving to where Minho is stroking back his mate’s hair, his son—remaining son—finally passed out, unable to handle the grief. “They’re not so good,” he concludes.

“At the moment, I’m more worried that someone is going to get arrested.”

Changmin snorts.

_Thanks, mate of mine, that makes me feel really great._

_I’m just saying, it’s a possibility that they’ll try._

_Let’s hope they don’t_.

— 

Changmin finds a blanket to lie on, moving his mate gently and tucking him in close as he rests. He’s nearly healed, Victoria having come over to lend a hand, and by the time Yunho’s managed to successfully steer the cops away, Junsu’s blinking heavily and in desperate need of water.

Someone fetches him a glass of it (their kitchen sink strangely undisturbed and able to pull water from their well,) and Changmin helps him to sit up and drink. Through their bond, Junsu feels like he was run over by a truck and Changmin offers him support, letting him rest against his chest as the pack crowd around to hear his explanation of the sword and the blood. It’s just as impressive the second time around.

“Our sweet submissive is so smart,” Yoochun croons, landing kisses on Junsu’s cheek that Changmin finds he doesn’t mind at all. “You’re so clever, Junsu-yah. You were so brave.”

“He was,” Changmin nods, dropping a kiss of his own onto his mate’s skin. “He is.”

They fawn over him awhile more, indulgent and gentle, before Junsu pushes them away and instructs Changmin to carry him over to Sulli. Jino is still passed out, but as soon as Junsu lays a hand on him, the pup stirs, and he’s soon climbing up onto Junsu’s lap (Changmin still holding him steady,) to cry on Junsu’s shoulder. “I’m so sorry,” Junsu murmurs, “darling little pup, I’m so sorry this happened.”

For a moment, Changmin wonders if Junsu blames himself. But there’s no shame, no regret. Junsu knows he isn’t responsible. Junsu knows that he killed the thing that is.

That matters more to Changmin then any amount of words or hugs or kisses.

—

With all of the pack awake, and Eric and Hyesung there to help stand guard, some of the ache eases. It will be awhile before it disappears, Jaejoong knows, death is not so easily forgotten. But pack is strength and together they can face anything.

They bury Minjun in the woods behind the house. He and Jino had a favorite spot where they would build forts and practice fighting with Changmin; it’s the perfect resting place for their darling little wolf. It’s technically public property so they’ll be able to visit it whenever they want, but it’s hidden enough that no one who isn’t looking for it will stumble upon it accidentally.

The pack stays awhile, sharing stories and leaving things at the grave, but eventually Jaejoong leads them all away, letting Minho and Sulli and Jino stay there alone. They will come back when they’re ready.

Jaejoong holds onto Yunho’s hand for the whole night. He’d like to fold into him, wrap his arms around his mate and not let go, but he can’t. They’re needed alert and awake and so they hold hands and smile at each other and make sweet promises for when they’re finally alone.

They’ve made a fire in the yard, some of the pack in their wolf form some as humans, and they’re sleeping around it now, wrapped in blankets and cushions as they try to rest. It’s a miracle that there is no rain.

“It’s going to be okay,” Yunho murmurs, “eventually.” 

“I know,” Jaejoong whispers.

Junsu is in his wolf form, the change having aided in the last few steps of his healing and he trots over to them, his head falling into Yunho’s lap, clearly wanting his ears scratched. Yunho pets him automatically. “Changmin sleeping?” 

Junsu yips. 

“You were so wonderful today, Junsu. I’m so proud of you.” Yunho kisses the tip of Junsu’s muzzle. “Thank you, darling wolf. You saved us all.”

— 

Victoria and her entourage leave the next morning.

None of Siwon’s wolves have been outed to the human world and Eric really wants it to be kept that way. So he gathers Zhou Mi and Kyuhyun and their mates and tells them to go home while the police are not lurking. “It’s a miracle they didn’t notice you before,” he says, “now is a good time for you to go.”

“Junsu’s completely healed?” Jaejoong asks, just to make sure, just to hear it once more before they go.

“He is,” Seohyun nods, “He’ll be fine.”

“I’ll Skype,” Victoria tells Junsu, “just because you defeated Fae it doesn’t mean you’re done learning.”

Most of their possessions were destroyed in the house, save for things packed away in the basement or things strong enough to survive being whipped around in the air—a lot of those were clothing, possessions were tucked away in drawers and not breakable. Soft things. Blankets. Jaejoong finds one of Minjun’s stuffed teddy bears among the wreckage, dirty and slightly ripped on one ear, but still squeezable. He holds it close a moment, breathing in the scent of their baby wolf and committing it to memory. A minute later he’s searching out Jino, initially a little surprised to find him with Yunho, but really, it makes sense. Yunho is still alpha, and alpha is best as giving out calm when Junsu isn’t available.

Jino’s attached himself to Yunho’s side, arms wrapped tight around him with his face buried in Yunho’s side. His parents are at Minjun’s grave, Jaejoong knows, spending time there before they leave. 

“You didn’t want to be with your parents?” Jaejoong asks him.

“They’re too sad.”

“Are you not sad?”

“I’m really sad! I just—don’t like being sad.”

“Okay,” Jaejoong says. He understands to some extent. He holds out the teddy bear, waiting until Jino takes it, the toy ending up squished in between Jino and Yunho. “It’s okay if you want to be sad. It’s okay if you don’t want to be. Minjun would want you to remember all the nice things about him, think about all the times he made you happy. You’re a child and you’re so resilient, Jino, that’s not bad.” 

Certainly, Jino won’t heal overnight. He’ll certainly be sad for a long time. But his sad will be different than Minho and Sulli’s. Jaejoong doesn’t know how to explain that besides the fact that he just knows it—the whole pack knows it. 

It’s going to take all of them a very long time to recover from this; maybe they never will. Regardless, they’ll be there for each other and that’s what matters, at least to Jaejoong. 

_You’re so lovely, mate_ , Yunho says into their bond.

Jaejoong gives both Jino and Yunho kisses before trudging back to the house remains in order to find more things to pack.

He’s going to save as much of his kitchen as possible. 

 

— 

 

Eric’s home in the hills which he is lending the pack is a lot like Changmin’s cabin in his sanctuary. Except it is much larger, with room enough to house all the wolves with ease. Changmin can see the hearts in Jaejoong’s eyes as he rushes into each room. 

_I have a sneaking suspicion our alpha is going to offer to take this house off of Eric’s hands_ , Junsu says into their bond.

_Maybe_. Changmin certainly wouldn’t mind living here. They’re going to be stuck for awhile anyway, while the public crucifies them for whatever it is they think werewolves have done wrong. People don’t need much to get angry, especially at things they don’t understand. Maybe someday they can convince them otherwise, but for now it seems best for them to lie low. He can think of lots of things he an Junsu can do in the mean time. _But I wonder if Yunho would be able to do that? He’s been talking about designing the pack a house for a long time. It might be a good time for that._

_He has?_

_Well, to Jaejoong. I overhead._

Architecture is Yunho’s job after all, his passion, besides taking care of his pack.

But this house will be fine for now. The rooms aren’t exactly set up the same as their old home, but it’s relatively similar. Still, they choose in order of rank and Changmin is super quick to claim the room with a beautiful view of the woods and a window seat that he can already imagine Junsu curling into with a cup of his tea and a book. 

“Is that the _only_ use you can think of for a window seat?”

Changmin blushes, “Well, now I can think of another.”

“I have a whole list of uses,” Junsu murmurs, “so prepare yourself.”

Their kiss is gentle, Changmin cradling the back of Junsu’s head, his other hand finding Junsu’s waist. The pack will probably sleep in the same room tonight, so it doesn’t get much further than that, Junsu pulling away with a bright smile and diving into their bags. 

Belatedly, Changmin remembers the gift he has hidden away and he searches through his own things before he finds the small, wrapped box. 

“What is this?” Junsu asks, as Changmin tugs him onto the bed. “I thought we talked about rings, Shim Changmin, and how we don’t need them to know that we’re forever.”

“It’s not a ring,” Changmin assures him, “Open it.”

Junsu looks incredibly skeptical, but he nudges the ribbon away and opens the box, pushing aside the tissue paper. “Oh.”

“That errand I ran was for this,” Changmin tells him.

It’s a bracelet. It’s mostly made of leather, something plain and simple that will wrap around Junsu’s wrist several times, and just the sort of thing Junsu likes. But the important part is the small titanium charm attached to it: 覡

“ _Xi_ ,” Junsu breathes, his finger rubbing against it.

“Victoria has a charm that says _wu_ so I thought—I thought you might like one. Not—I mean. I want you to be proud, Junsu. I want you to love yourself and know that I love you and support you no matter what. All of you. Everything you are.”

“Oh, Changmin. It’s perfect.”

They almost don’t go back downstairs. Changmin has to accept Junsu’s kiss of thanks after all, and after everything that’s happened, Changmin’s resolved to never settle for short and quick kisses again. From now on, he will always kiss the love of his life like it’s the last time it will ever happen.

— 

There isn’t enough furniture for all of them, and so to avoid fights, the one couch and two recliners have be outlawed, the cushions and pillows tossed onto the floor in heaps. Jaejoong gets his cuddle pile after all and it makes him so happy.

He’s dozing against his mate when Changmin and Junsu come downstairs, though he wakes almost immediately when Junsu plops down next to him to snuggle under his arm. Changmin’s head lands in Junsu’s lap and it’s when he reaches out to push aside Changmin’s bangs that Jaejoong notices the bracelet. 

“He finally decided to give it to you.”

“Hey,” Changmin complains, “don’t tease.”

“You knew?”

Jaejoong snorts, “Of course I knew. I know everything.”

“Not everything,” Changmin grumbles.

“Really? Tell me what it is you think I don’t know, dongsaeng.” Jaejoong’s thinks he’s pretty clever, and Yunho’s amusement is threatening to boil over into laughter, even as Changmin’s grumbling turns into growling. It’s quite satisfying when Junsu pinches the tip of this mate’s nose. “I had to sneak it into your room for him,” Jaejoong explains, “since you clung to him every single second you were together. And Yunho recommended a jeweler to him, in order to make the charm. It does look good on you.”

He’s not really sure what he had expected, but it’s not Junsu’s smug smile turned on full force and asking pleasantly, “and how did Yunho know such a talented jeweler?”

For a moment, Jaejoong’s brows furrow. How _did_ Yunho know?

“You may know everything, but I know _everyone._ ” Yunho says.

“I can’t decide if I should accept that explanation or not.”

“If you don’t accept it then you won’t know everything, will you?”

And that settles it. As soon as they can get somewhere private, Yunho is in piles and piles of trouble. It might be awhile, because the pack needs their alpha, needs each other, desperately. 

_After_ , Yunho promises and their linked fingers tighten. _I’ll even take you on a date. Make Jinki be in charge for awhile._

_I like the sound of that_.

Jaejoong drops his head back onto Yunho’s shoulders, smiling when Junsu starts to hum. It’s initially just for Changmin, lyrics no doubt bouncing back and forth between them, words best said to the background of Junsu’s voice. But it isn’t long until the pack is paying attention and Jino wriggles forward to curl up in Jaejoong’s lap so he can hear Junsu better. 

Singing isn’t something Jaejoong does often enough nowadays. But he likes to, once and awhile, especially with Junsu, so he ends up joining in once Junsu starts to sing words, deciding that holding Jino close is more important than holding Yunho’s hand. He’ll always be able to hold Yunho’s hand; Jino won’t always want to cuddle.

_We have all the time in the world for hand holding, Jaejoong-ah_.

The last few of the pack eventually stumble into the room, finding someone to lay beside, Taemin unashamedly pushing his way through the wolves until he can tuck himself against Yunho’s other side. He dislodges Jonghyun, but the wolf doesn’t seem to mind. There’s little that can annoy the pack when it’s like this, when they’re less savage animal and more loving family.

Loving family is especially important right now.

Loving mate is important too, Jaejoong thinks. 

Yunho kisses his cheek, a sign he’d heard that loud and clear, a sign that he agrees. Mate is _most_ important.

And now they have a long time to be with each other without work or obligations or life getting in the way.

_Whatever will we do_? Yunho asks. 

Jaejoong can _feel_ his grin. _Oh,_ he thinks, craning his neck to press a kiss to Yunho’s mouth. _I can think of a few things_.

— 

The pack is mostly asleep when Junsu feels ready to say it. Normally it wouldn’t be a problem, normally Junsu can say anything. But after everything that happened, it had been sitting heavy on the edge of his tongue and he’s ready to get it off his chest. _Changmin_?

Changmin turns his face, his nose pressing into Junsu’s belly. He’s still awake. Junsu threads his fingers into Changmin’s hair, strokes a thumb across his cheek. _Thank you for taking care of me, even when I didn’t want you to_.

The smile is unbidden, warmth flooding their bond and rushing through Junsu, down to his toes, up his spine, and for a moment it makes him dizzy (giddy.)

_I’ll always take care of you, Kim Junsu._

“Always, always, always.”


End file.
